About Crystals and Stars
by lovingtimetravelexpert
Summary: A legend was told among the people of Tsuchimikado and Narukami, that one day a falling star would appear at the firmament, announcing the end of the raging war between both kingdoms. So it was told for thousands of years with the war going on relentlessly. To offer a symbol of peace to their people, the sovereigns agreed on an arranged marriage between their houses. Shimayu AU
1. Preface

**Cover-art by zeropointzerotwo on tumblr. Thank you for the breath-taking art!**

 **Preface**

Hey guys, I am back with a longer fiction.^^

You can ignore this preface, if you want to let yourself to be surprised, of what is coming and don't want to read the author's ramblings. The first chapter will be out soon. *wink*

A lot of people asked me for a sequel to "The Purity of White Seems To Be Red". And let me say this: It is not an idea, I totally dismissed, but I kinda felt the need to take a breath and do something more original. So until I feel refreshed for some purity, I hope you will have as much fun as I have with this story. And when the day for the sequel comes, I think, it will be exciting for you and me to rediscover "The Purity of White Seems To Be Red".

 **What to expect of this book?**

This is a different take on Sousei no Onmyouji and the pairing shimayu. It is based on a prompt, I've read on tumblr: "Two people, running away from a blind, arranged marriage, in which one is supposed to marry the other, meet on the road by coincidence and fall in love with each other."

Of course this is a trope, that has been done very often. But it is also a nice challenge to take on old tropes and cliches and form them into something refreshingly new.

The setting will be an Alternate Universe, because this prompt wouldn't fit the Sousei no Onmyouji universe (well, it would but not for shimayu and that's what we need. Don't you agree?^^).

 **Is it gonna be a modern and historical AU?**

Frankly, I don't support 'arranged marriages' and even if this prompt calls out for a critical operation (the reason I love it so much), I didn't want to set the story in a modern time, despite the fact, that 'arranged marriages' are still done today. Which means, this will be set (as you probably guessed by the cover) in a feudal-like Japan.

 **Feudal-like? o-O**

Yeah, the thing is I still wanted to have a touch of fantasy for this world. So I invented a setting, that seems like a feudal Japan, but is in truth a total different universe.

 **About characters and the manga plot:**

While the story will have a different plot, it will contain some situations, that are similar to the manga. Also there will be a lot of characters from the manga placed in – how to call it? – in different living arrangements. Hehe

It will be interesting to see, how they behave, while they still have their main character qualities. Of course the titles and suffixes of the characters will be changed as well and they might get new hobbies and character traits, that will hopefully fit.

That's the true challenge of an AU: Placing characters in a different world and don't make them appear to be OOC. To me that's an exiting task for this new project.

 **Final words of defense**

I know, some people don't like AUs. I do love them, because they give a lot of possibilities. They are like a playground placed on the foundation of the original story, where you climb up a slide and at the end you find yourself in a new universe.

Now then. Let's play!


	2. 1

A/N: Like always R&R, please. Just this chapter took hours of work. (Je ne regrette rien. XD) Can't wait for your feedback, guys!^^

 **1**

A legend was told among the people of Tsuchimikado and Narukami, that one day a falling star would appear at the firmament, announcing the end of the raging war among both of the kingdoms. It would fall down on earth and split the Crystal of Stars into two. Two pieces of one form and shape would be shared between the kingdoms, ending their battle for the source of power at the feet of its pedestal.

So it was told for a thousand of years with the war going on relentlessly.

* * *

The thunder of hoes, frequently crashing into the solid ground, could be heard from afar. The air smelled like rain.

Excited she stood in front of her home, waiting for the arrival of the riders.

So long had he been gone.

Years had passed by since he left her mother and her to go on his mission.

They had expected him to be gone a few months. Instead many winters crossed their land, until they finally heard word from him.

She couldn't wait to hear his stories about the land behind the horizon. A land that many stories were told about, painting the ugliest images of its inhabitants. She doubted, that Tsuchimikado people really had two eyes of a different color that would rotten you with darkness and pull your soul into the pits of hell, if you'd looked at it too long.

These were stories to scare of children and antagonize the people of Tsuchimikado. She was sure of that. Having studied all these years, since her father had left, Mayura had different ideas about the hostility between those people and the people of Narukami. It was all thanks to the Crystal in the legend, that this war was going on as it had for a thousand of years now. She was pretty sure of that. And she guessed that not one of Tsuchimikado's inhabitants looked like the monsters, they were described to be.

Folding her hands in front of her, she waited as the wind pushed the long cloth of her kimono against her legs and gently caressed over her pinned up hair, which people called to be the one of an angel, since it was a sunny blond fading of into a freshly green.

The thundering noise grew louder as the riders got closer. Soon they would break through the small forest hiding the estate and dividing it from the main city.

Her father had left their city to her mother's reign. All those years Mayura had learned and trained herself, never knowing when she would have to rule herself. So she'd studied politics, economics, rhetoric and warfare everyday for hours until her eyes hurt and her sight blurred.

She couldn't wait to show her father the new skills and knowledge, she'd obtained.

"You will catch the death, if you stand in the wind like," she heard her mother's soft voice from behind her, as she walked towards her with a cape.

With a grateful smile Mayura turned around and helped her mother placing the cape over her shoulders of her brightly colored kimono. Her mother was a kind soul, always thinking about others. She could have sent a servant to bring Mayura her cape but instead the feudal lady of Narukami lowered herself to bring her daughter something to shield herself against the cold, heartless wind. That was why people of Narukami loved her and looked up to her. Nobody questioned the current lordship of the Amawaka's. Even with their lord having been gone for so long. "Thank you, Okaasama. (1)"

With only a kimono and a cape shielding her mother as well, she stood beside Mayura, both waiting for the riders to arrive.

And then finally Mayura noticed a motion behind the branches. A troupe of five riders broke cover and became visible on the path leading towards the house of the feudal lord.

Her father rode at its front, instead of being flanked to be shielded from all sides like royals were usually escorted. An indifferent and bored look was adorning his face.

Mayura couldn't help but smile seeing her father after so many years being stubborn as ever.

At a trot the riders lead their horses over the court towards the main house. Mayura looked at the companions of her father. One she had known for a while.

Inanaki Arata-san had dark hair that looked blue, at the spots the sun kissed. He had been an old comrade of her father's at the front. But Mayura had gotten to know him differently. When she was smaller, he would always read out tales to her from his books, which he cherished so much. Silly, trivial literature her father had called it with a snarl. Yet, Mayura enjoyed the beautiful fairy tales of lone samurai and unrequited love. Back then, when her father had left Narukami, Arata-san rode out at the side of her father. She imagined, he would be missing his books brutally by now, since he hadn't been able to take them along with him.

Her eyes skipped over the other riders. Two in the row were soldiers of the Narukami force, she didn't know the name of. They probably joined the other three, when they arrived at the coast.

And then there was one of the riders that stroke her attention. He wore white, oddly short hair and had skin so dark like she'd never seen it before. Was this a Tsuchimikado inhabitant? Intrigued she wondered, if they all had dark skin as his.

The riders stopped at the signal of her father, a few feet away from her mother and her.

Nobody said a thing, as both parties stared at each other. That was until her father drawled in a monotone voice, "Oi, missed me?"

A bubbly laughter broke out of her and her feet moved on her own, as she moved to the side of her father's horse and softly grazed a hand over its head.

When she had seen him off, her height had barely reached the stomach of the animal. Now six years later she had grown the body of a woman at normal height and could easily climb the horse's back.

She looked up at the man most people knew as Amawaka Seigen, the ninth lord of the Amawaka dynasty. Of course she held a lot of respect for the man, who ruled a nation so flawless, his people would trust him to leave for a mission with unforeseeable results and without a fixed term. But mostly she held gentle feelings for the man with dark, tired eyes and long dark hair, which was wrapped up in a ponytail crossing the whole of his back. Gentle feelings, that now broke through the surface.

"Otoosama, welcome back," she mumbled, while tears rose to her eyes.

She knew, he had never been the person to show his emotions. So when he faced her with a glint in his eyes, it was enough for her to understand, that he felt the same way she did.

Dismounting the animal, her father dropped to the ground. After stretching his neck, he nodded for the other riders to follow him. "It's good to be home. I couldn't stand the sight of the palm trees and sand any longer."

"Palm trees? I think, I've read about them. Don't they bear fruits with a skin as thick as stone?", Mayura asked curiously. She wished, she could see them someday. Maybe, if this war would end, one day, she could.

"They do," a dark, unfamiliar voice joined in, "and they conceal the most refreshing juice and delicious flesh." She looked over the horses back at the foreigner. It had been him talking.

With a risen eyebrow she watched him. He didn't have two colored eyes. He was a normal man speaking the same language as her. The only difference was the darker shade of his skin.

After staring a while his face broke out into a grin. He bawled out, "Oh, forgive me, you must be Hime-sama. (2)"

She blinked in wonder at him. He was so straightforward and loud. She liked it. A smile broke on her face and she nodded at him. "Mayura would be enough."

"I heard so much about you. I am Ioroi Narumi, warrior of a tribe of Tsuchimikado."

Eager to learn more, Mayura inquired, "Warrior? It's that what you call your soldiers?"

He grinned at her fully now. "If that's what you call them here, then it is."

"Good to see you again, Mayura-sama." Turning around Mayura spotted Arata-san, who smiled at her friendly.

She was grateful to see him again safely returned. Again tears started to flood her eyes and speechlessly she nodded at him.

Like always he squeezed his shut. Never had she seen them fully opened. "You have grown into a fine lady."

Her face grew warm at the compliment. Sometimes she was insecure about her figure being too womanly. Once she was told, she had a body many women would die for, thanks to her broad hips and large breasts. Most of the times she would find them rather annoyingly in the way. Receiving now a kind compliment without any suggestions, made her feel good. With a light voice she thanked him.

" Oi, enough with the greetings," she heard her father say from behind her and she needed to turn around to look at him.

He stood beside her mother, who was in tears of joy at the return of her long gone husband.

Suddenly his eyes changed. In a much darker voice he told her, "We need to talk."

* * *

"You can't expect me to do this," she yelled at her father, while kneeling on the ground. She believed it to be a bad joke. He couldn't possibly be serious. After being absent for six year, he couldn't actually come back and command her to get married.

"I do~," he slowly replied, watching her from his standing point, looking down on her. His arms hanging down loosely at his side within the wide arms of his blue kimono. His armor had been taken off by the servants on their way inside.

When he had told her, they needed to talk, she wouldn't have thought, it was something like this. All of a sudden she was on the brim of loosing everything, she had known. And all thanks to her father and the feudal lord of Tsuchimikado, who plotted their children to marry, for the sake of ending the war. Aggravated she inquired, "What about the legend? What about the falling star ending the war?"

Her father sighed obviously unnerved and shook his shoulders. "That's just an ancient legend. Nothing but a fairy tale, that had been around for ages. Nothing happened so far and probably never will."

She shook her head in disbelief. Looking down on the mats covering the floor of the main room, she asked herself, why people had fought for so long under the lead of a legend, that wouldn't come true anyway. And this now, an arranged marriage, was supposed to be the solution to a senseless war? "I don't even understand, why we're in this war in the first place."

"You know, it's because of the Crystal," he drawled.

Of course she'd known. It didn't mean she understood it. She had read so many stories about the Crystal and its powers, which affected the two kingdoms equally. Yet, despite all her studies, she could not comprehend the reason, why people had started to spill their blood over it. "Doesn't the Crystal serve both Tsuchimikado and Narukami? Doesn't it give life to the flowers in spring in both kingdoms? Doesn't it rule the sun's course for both our kingdoms to be bathed in light at day? Doesn't it let rivers flow and lend us the air we breathe in the west as well as in the east?"

"It does." Her father's gaze skimmed to the side. In a low voice he murmured, "Thing is, people always want things for their own."

She didn't believe this was her fate, being forced to marry a man, she'd never seen and not once spoke to. There had to be another way. "But you've been there! You've been in Tsuchimikado for so long, negotiating peace, haven't you?"

"I have~."

"So why is the war still going on, when both kings want to end it?" she inquired harshly.

"It's not easy," he said rather quickly for his usual slow drawl, "Listen, you can't just end a war that has been going on for so long on a whim. People are used to fighting for generations. How could they understand?"

Tears were clouding her eyes. Angry and disappointed tears. "And you want to do that by setting me up?"

Her father put a hand on his hips and looked at her with an unwavering gaze, "You will do that by making an example. If both kingdoms are joined in heritage, they'll both be joined in heart."

She wiped her head to the side and grumbled, "This is foolish."

"It may be so to you. I'd hope, you understand and spare the next generation of soldiers any more pain," he said in a sigh. After closing his eyes once, he tore them open again with a glare, directed at her and continued, "But until you do, you will do as I say."

Blinking the tears, that were threatening to fall, away, she buried her fingers in the silky material of her kimono. She muttered, "As the returned ruler of Narukami?"

"As your father."

"As my father, you shouldn't set me up to marry against my wishes." She raised her voice against her father. The man she always looked up to, who she had always believed was giving his best as a lord, as a leader and as a husband and father.

He looked taken aback. His gaze dropped to the ground and in low voice he replied, "I wish for you to find love in your marriage. It doesn't mean, you won't. I've got to know your fiance pretty well. He is kindhearted, a bit too soft on the inside, but a good man with pure beliefs."

"Even if he is. It doesn't say, I will fall for him," she exclaimed.

"I am sorry, I couldn't be the father, you needed. Not even now."

She couldn't bear it anymore, the sadness in her father's eyes and voice. The regret breaking through the surface. She couldn't stand the need to comfort him, while she wanted to stay angry.

In one swift motion she stood up and turned away. "I'm not angry at you for not being there. I understand, why you weren't. I am angry for you forcing this onto me, because you weren't capable of ending the war yourself."

Without a second thought, she went straight to her room. As she shut the shoji (3) behind her, she felt desperation pushing her down, making her slip to the floor. A deep sigh pushed its way out of her lungs through her lips.

What was she going to do? What could she possibly do?

She didn't want to marry a stranger. It wasn't that she didn't want to marry at all. She had just turned sixteen, just arrived at the age suitable to marry and had not put one thought to it. Because of the stories Arata-san had told her all these years ago, she had imagined her future husband to be virtuous and kind, strong and fearless like the lone samurais. Right now she would be happy, if she just could choose herself.

Was it truly hopeless to end the war just like that? Did the people really need a symbol to lead them to peace?

No, she couldn't, wouldn't believe that.

Rising to her feet, a plan formed itself in her head.

This time she would go and make the negotiations.

She wanted to have a word with the feudal lord of Tsuchimikado himself. What was the house called again? She had read it somewhere. Was it Ikruga? Ikaga?... Ikaruga. That was right.

If her own father wouldn't listen to her, would he?

It was a low chance, she got, but it was all she had to save herself from getting trapped in a marriage, she didn't want.

Walking to her table, she grabbed for a piece of paper and ink, after she knelt down.

She would at least have him know, where she was going.

Mayura knew, she could trust her best friend to keep her whereabouts a secret. After all she was doing this for him in some ways, too.

If she succeeded, she would spare him a life as a soldier at the front. Something Rokuro had signed up for in a foolish moment of heroic ideals. When he'd told her, what he had done, she had given him a speech. He wasn't cut out for being a soldier.

Resolution formed in her heart and words on the paper.

It was time to end this infinite war for good.

Putting away the letter, she grabbed things, she would need on her quest, recalling the things she learned thanks to Arata-san's stories. On her way out she would grab some books about the wildlife, too.

After leaving her room, she first walked to the wash house, picking up a yukata, garments and bindings of the maids, that were spread out to dry. There was no way she would make it far, dressed in the colorful kimono of a princess.

Having collected all things needed, some food, a dagger, a part of her savings, books and clothing, she sneaked through the main house to the back.

When she came across the tea room, she spotted her mother there, hopefully smiling and sitting in front of a table, on which three cups were placed. Two of those were neglected.

Mayura's heart ached and tears started to constrict her throat. The pressure on her chest was painful. She knew, she would see her mother again, but leaving her for an unknown period of time and without a notice, felt so cruel, it made her want to drop her pack and the plans of adventure, run up to her mother and hug her.

Squeezing her eyes shut, she pushed out these thoughts and went on with her plans.

Luckily she made it fast out of the building and through the back of the estate to the small forest shielding her home, knowing the positions of the guards by heart.

Quickly she hid the letter in the trunk of the tree, she and Rokuro had chosen years ago for their correspondence.

A heavy sigh left her, when she looked back one last time at the estate, that was now mostly hidden behind a wall of trees.

'I'm sorry, Okaasama and Otoosama,' she thought and turned her back on her home, facing the start of her journey.

* * *

He seethed with rage. An arranged marriage? Was his father being serious?

When his father had called for him and his siblings, Shimon had not expected this news.

After six years of negotiating and planning, the rulers of Tsuchimikado and Narukami had decided to end the war and give the people of both kingdoms a symbol of unity: An arranged marriage between both their houses.

Enraged Shimon walked back and forth along an invisible line next to the table in the counsel room. Usually he wouldn't loose his temper so easily. It took much too make him as angry as he was right now.

He couldn't believe his father. And he couldn't believe Seigen-dono (4).

These past six years the feudal lord of Narukami had been a welcome guest under the roof of the house Ikaruga and he had also become Shimon's sensei, teaching him the traditions of Narukami and training him in the fight with the katana with finesse. The wise and strong man from another land had become his consultant and idol.

When Seigen-dono had left a few days ago, Shimon had been sad. Someday he had hoped they would live in a world, where the people of Tsuchimikado and Narukami would meet each other as allies and no more on the battlefield as enemies.

Shimon didn't want to believe, that the man he looked up to was part of planning this.

"Nii nii-sama, please, calm down," his little sister said from behind him.

He turned around and rested his gaze on the girl sitting on the ground with her knees pulled to her body. She looked so small in her pretty kimono, with the long hair that was in a darker pinkish shade than his own.

Of course he wanted to end the war. Not only for his people's sake, but also for his little sister, who suffered from the Crystals powers.

The Crystal granted all things life. But with Chiiko it was different. She received too much of the powers, tiring her out from the inside. The physicians had foretold, that she wouldn't even reach the age of ten. Now she was twelve years old, after having been barely pulling her from death's graps once, thanks to an old acquaintance of Seigen-dono. Shimon wondered, how long she could trick fate.

If only the legend be fulfilled. With half of the Crystal, the chances were high, that a less potent power would reach Tsuchimikado and its inhabitants.

Nobody knew for sure, but Shimon would rather believe in gain than in loss of the legend's promise.

Ending the war was one thing, saving his sister was another.

Even if an arranged marriage would have the effect Seigen-dono and his father hoped, the legend wouldn't come true. Wouldn't their actions defy the legend and deny the split of the Crystal of Stars? Wouldn't the people defy the god they prayed to?

"I can't," he told his little sister. He couldn't calm down. He didn't want to. Since their father had left them, after telling him the news, his brother and sister had stayed silent, watching Shimon walking up and down.

"Look at the bright side. Finally the war will end," his brother said from another corner.

Shimon looked at his old brother, who seemed relaxed leaning against the wall despite the news. As always Keiji seemed all charming and gentle, a small smile on his lips. His hair was the same color as Chiiko's and hugged his head in perfect lines. They were unlike Shimon's unruly hair, that he simply couldn't get control of. His were spiky and wildly rising from his head like a thistle.

Optimistic as ever Keiji looked at him. He was probably trying to lend Shimon some hope, while facing this twisted agreement. But Shimon had never been that optimistic himself, believing in facts instead of wishful thinking. He didn't think it was a fact, something simple as a marriage would smooth down the consequences of ending this war. In a low voice he asked, "Don't you understand what this means?"

For a thousand of years people have believed in a legend. It had been their religion and hope. Now this legend should be cast aside giving the people another symbol to place their beliefs on?!

There was no guarantee, that this would suffice. That the people would cross out their hate and prejudices for their enemies. That the warriors would return like nothing happened, like they never faced the horrors of war. That they would forget the bloodshed and forgive the murderers of their next of kin and friends.

Keiji blinked once, his smile only faltered for a second. "I do. But this could be a chance at peace. How could we deny that to our people?"

Taking chances as low as this, was irresponsible in Shimon's understanding. And this ostensible solution wouldn't save Chiiko. The thought of loosing her, made his teeth clench and his stomach clench painfully and so he lashed out at his brother, "What about our sister?"

Sadness crossed his brother's eyes.

"It is okay, Nii nii-sama," Chiiko's voice softly called to him. The tender tone fed the feeling of hopelessness and inadequacy.

He couldn't take it.

With a click of his tongue, Shimon turned away from his siblings and growled, "No, it's not."

Anger and despair spurred on his steps leading him to his room.

This couldn't be it.

This wasn't the solution to this war.

This wasn't how Chiiko would be saved.

Besides he didn't believe in arranged marriages. Forcing two people to wed, to live an unhappy life, was going against his virtues. He didn't like the idea of being thrown into a life like that.

It wasn't, that he thought the heiress of Narukami was a bad person. During his stay Seigen-dono had often talked about his daughter, since she was only two years younger than Shimon himself, which was the reason, as Shimon had figured, for why Seigen-dono had granted Shimon the most attention out of the three Ikaruga siblings.

No, she couldn't be a bad person, he thought, as he entered his room and stopped in its middle.

Amawaka Mayura was very likely a nice and kind girl, but without any knowledge of the world outside and no fighting spirit, having been raised as a princess of Narukami.

Perhaps not the worst suitable wife.

But thanks to his idols, thanks to Seigen-dono and his parents, Shimon had learned, how much love mattered in a marriage.

He didn't think an arranged one could caught up to that.

Even this factor of the solution, his father and Seigen-dono had cooked up, was pointless. It wouldn't bring peace, wouldn't save Chiiko and would lead to a likely unhappy marriage between two houses, which could lead to yet another conflict.

What was the solution then?

Standing now in the middle of his room, he did not know, what path was there to follow. His feet were planted on the ground, as he recognized the truth. He had no focus at all.

He loathed this helplessness. Was there no way out of this cage of cruel fate?

Biting his lips, he wondered, what could bring the war to an end, save Chiiko and be a reason to call of this foolish agreement.

And just in this moment the answer filled his mind, as clear as never before: The legend.

The fulfillment of the legend would accomplish all that.

He walked to the wall, displaying his collection of katanas.

Choosing the sharpest and lightest of them, he picked the katana, graced with the name "Vermilion Sword".

It was a sword as old as this dynasty itself and as long in his family's possession for just as long. It was given its name for his merciless and undefeated number of victories in battle, having bathed the blade in blood time and again, coloring the sword's guard (5) into a vermilion red.

He would find a way to fulfill the legend.

He would make sure the Crystal to be split in two and end this war.

He would save his sister from her fate.

And with this action he would call of the marriage.

With fierce determination he schemed his leave and his journey to the Crystal of Stars.

* * *

(1) Okaasama – This is one of the suffix changes I hinted on in the preface. Since it is a feudal-like time and Yukari is the royal lady, Mayura would address her more formally.

(2) Hime-sama – princess / daughter of a nobleman

(3) shoji – Japanese screen door with wooden frame

(4) Seigen-dono – No, I won't explain Seigen (LOL), just another a change of suffixes.^^ I twisted my head around this one. Since both Shimon and Seigen are a part of a royal family but Seigen is rank higher and a guest, Shimon should address him with Seigen-sama. "Dono" roughly means master (but not nobility like). It is below "-sama" in level of formality and indicates a similar rank between both parties. Yet, it calls for a high respect between both, meaning, if it was still used, you would likely call someone with it, if you wish to receive as much respect from him as you grant him. After training six years with Seigen and being the Ikaruga sibling, Seigen obviously spend the most time with, I thought "-dono" might reflect on their current relationship the best way. But you can tell me, it's bull, if you know it better. :P

(5) guard [sword] – the guard is a part of the sword. It is this thing between handle and blade, which protects the fingers from being cut of, when you defend in a fight.

I figured, I won't explain yukata and kimono, because that's a common thing in most mangas and animes. If you want an explanation though, don't be shy and ask.^^

A/N: That's it for now. Are you excited? I literally couldn't hold my horses down, after this chapter. I love feudal/medieval times as well as quest literature (sucker for role playing games). And I love angry Shimon. hehe

Ah and there was something I wanted to say to about the characters. I had to make Shimon and Mayura both very educated. Since they are nobles, they are able to speak very eloquently, if they want to. I kinda figured by giving Mayura a trait like being well-read she has something to put to use and that would also fit her character, since we know she was diligent at school. Again, you are welcomed to disagree. ;)

Last but not least, in this story, Shimon is truly a biological sibling of Sayo and Keiji (otherwise the whole arrangement prompt wouldn't make sense in a feudal-like setting). In my point of view they are siblings in the manga as well, blood related or not.


	3. 2

A/N: Thank you for the reviews, favorits and follows. I am glad this story gets accepted.^^ Have fun reading!

 **2**

The Crystal of Stars was said to be hidden inside of a mountain on Crystal Island. The place were human life came to be, so they say. An holy place, the birthplace and cradle of the first Crystal's daughter; the cradle, which had been soaked in the blood of thousands claiming the sole right over the holy ground.

This was his destination.

After burrowing a warrior's uniform and a cape in the barracks, belonging to the Ikaruga estate, Shimon had traveled with nothing but his pack and the new, worn-out clothes through the city of Tsuchimikado. The city of the Ikaruga reign, known for its sand washed buildings, its broad and flourishing main street and the narrow buildings, spreading over the city, overreached the horizon.

He had been lucky to come this far without anyone noticing him. This was enough repayment for the itching skin beneath his lend clothing. The leather armor on his right arm was slightly out of shape and the one on the left slid at its end over the elbow at every move, thanks to the porous structure of the strings holding it. But at least the scaled leather armor on his stomach and legs were a good fit over the his shirt and trousers. The Jin-Baori (1) in the red color of the Tsuchimikado crest was comfortable but heavy on his shoulders. To hide his identity Shimon wore a hooded cape over his attire as disguise. One, that raised the temperature under this cover to an higher degree.

Even after this short time wearing it, he felt hot. The thin material of the shirt couldn't make up for all the thick armor covering it. He wondered, how their warriors were to bear this heat all day.

But for the sake of his cover, he had to get accustomed to the humid heat clouding his body beneath the armor.

If everything went according to plan, his quest might take only a few days and he could rid of the scratching material then.

His plan was to head out of the city to the harbor, so he could border a warrior ship to Crystal Island to learn about the Crystal. Shimon believed, the only ones knowing more about the Crystal than the things told in lore and by fanatics, were the men fighting to its feet. Hopefully, he would gain enough insight to the Crystal's structure and form to aid him on his quest.

Unfortunately the harbor was almost twenty miles away from the city, so that going on foot would take at least two days. To cut it to less than one day, he wanted to rent a horse at the stables next to the gate with a part of the savings, he had taken with him, when he left the Ikaruga estate. (2)

The main street was busy. Merchants shouted out the prices of their goods. Beggars sat at the edge of the street, pleading for money in their old, rotten and stinking rags. Children squeezed themselves through the crowd playing tag, farmers dragged their carts through the narrow spaces left aside from the market.

Usually Shimon wouldn't cross the street alone. A circle of guards would guide him through the masses with him being in the center and having at least two feet of space to each of the guard.

Now he could be a part of the crowd, which he had only watched over the head of the guards until today.

He liked the feeling of being under cover. It felt like a freedom, he never knew was there.

Yet, he wasn't unfocused enough to stop and stare in awe, enchanted by this lively feeling. He knew, he had a quest. He should focus on it. He could enjoy this feeling of being anonymous for once on his way.

So he made his through the crowd and followed the path, leading out of the city.

All of a sudden he felt an impact against his side, that made him waver on his feet. Looking down he saw a child, watching him with sadness and regret. It bowed its head and loudly exclaimed, "Gomen nasai!"

Shimon nodded at the young, blond haired boy, who had a plum face, "It's fine."

Having no punishment to fear, the boy broke out in a grin, displaying an incomplete set of teeth. Then he started off, running through the masses.

Watching the boy disappear, Shimon remembered, how he used to play tag with Keiji and Chiiko. They would run over the court, only finishing their game, when either their supervisor or one of their teachers would come and tell them to stop behaving like that, because it was inappropriate for the children of the lord to run. Until they had become too old to play, they would often intentionally forget about this and start their game.

His lips rose in a soft smile at the treasured memory. He recalled the bubbly, enthusiastic emotion of escaping the touch of the pursuer by mere inches and the warmth in his heart at the laughter of his siblings, when he ran after them.

He hoped, Keiji and Chiiko wouldn't get mad about his sudden disappearance. They would likely give him an ear full, about him leaving them without a notice. But that would be fine, the moment he returned. Because he was doing this for their sake, too.

Shaking off the nostalgic feeling, he continued to cross the crowd.

Just then he noticed something being odd.

He scanned the crowd for the boy, but he could see him no more, neither any other child. Had the boy been the last in the row of the tag or did he -

Shimon looked down to his side. At the spot beneath the doublet, where his pouch should have been, were only tattered pieces of the leather bindings now. Circling around, his eyes searched the ground. He couldn't find the pouch there either.

Damn that boy.

He had played him.

And he had stolen his money.

With great steps and a quick pace, Shimon squeezed himself through the crowd into the direction the boy had disappeared to, all the while scanning the street for the thief.

He could see him nowhere. The alleys at the sides were only poorly lit, so he could see no more than some piles of clothes and the outline of crates being irregulary stacked up.

Damn that boy.

For a large while Shimon tried his best to find the thief by pushing his way through the masses, but he couldn't see him. All the way down to the gates there was no sight of him. Searching in all the alleys would take hours and for all he knew, the boy could already have returned to his home or his hide-out.

A huge sigh left Shimon, blowing out warm air, that had clenched onto his stomach with anxiety before.

What would he do now?

He needed the money to rent a horse. Without the horse it would take him two days just to get to the harbor.

He was a prince. A prince of Tsuchimikado.

Yet, he had been easily robbed.

Clicking his tongue, he felt angry at himself. How could he have been so easily tricked?

That pesky, little boy. If he'd ever find him, he would punish him.

Shimon wouldn't report him. No. That would be too risky. He could blow his cover. And besides he didn't appreciate the general punishment for theft. That boy was a nuisance and a street rat, but he didn't deserve to eat his few and thin meals with only one hand left.

No. He wouldn't report him. He would punish him all by himself and give him a solid knock on the head.

Yet, these thoughts on revenge wouldn't bring him out of the city.

Letting his eyes skim one more time over the crowd, Shimon heaved another sigh.

The gate was up ahead, mockingly waiting for him, while he walked towards it, staying in the shadows of the buildings.

What was he going to do now with no money to rent a horse? Should he wait until he could sneak onto a transport for the warriors outside? But the guards might get suspicious of a lone warrior coming to the gates, who asked about the next carriage to the warrior camp at the harbor. Maybe this cover hadn't been the best of ideas. Maybe he should have dressed as a mercenary, who was hired to work at the front. Nobody would question a mercenary traveling alone and the guards may turn a blind eye on him boarding a transport to the harbor for the need of manpower at the battle front.

Well, it was too late now.

He had to think about another strategy to get out of the city. At best on a horse, because he wasn't getting along with other forms of transportation.

Looking at the gate, Shimon could spot two guards at the opened gates, who currently seemed to be occupied with a woman wearing a dirty yukata and a toddler bound to her back. Two other guards were standing on a scaffold near the gate. Each one on one side. And every guard was armored with the standard uniform of an Tsuchimikado warrior and a katana.

There was no way, he could sneak through the gate.

If he tried, he may not even survive against the guards, when he was spotted.

He pulled his cape forward, to make sure the armor was invisible to the guards.

Getting closer to the gate, he spotted the stables at the right hand side. A few horses were put on a leash inside the boxes.

Correcting his course, he headed directly to the stables. When he turned around a corner, an ox-cart came to his sight. Not far from it stood a man in filthy clothes arguing with hands and feet with another guard.

Carefully Shimon approached them and backed into a corner behind them, listening to the man's aggravated arguments. "I bought this pass earlier today. It can't be expired," he said.

"It looks older than a day," the guard lifted said pass to his face. "There is a big stain on it."

Shimon looked at the cart again. It had a tarp spread over the interior space, the goods on it were unseen to the outside.

Just then an idea formed in his head.

If he could sneak under the tarp, he might get out of the city unnoticed.

He skipped his attention once more to the arguing pair. "- juice. It dried in the heat," the man in the farmer's clothing said.

There was no way around them. How could he get to the cart now?

The guard gruffly replied, "I let someone else take a look." Then he turned away and walked past the cart towards the gate.

"Wait," the man followed him. "Please, just let me through. My pregnant wife is waiting for me."

The guard continued walking, "Just buy a new pass, if that's more important to you than the stain."

When they were out of earshot, Shimon looked for any other bystanders.

Fortune was on his side, it seemed.

In a crouching posture he walked to the cart.

The tarp was fastened at both sides in the front and back. The back had no fastening, and Shimon could lift the end of it a bit.

After taking off his katana and placing it in the cart, he quickly climbed the back and squeezed himself between the small space between the tarp and the back panel, making the cart groan under his weight.

Crawling further into the cart, Shimon noticed three things: The cart was empty save for himself, which meant the farmer had already delivered all his goods and would return to his farm. Secondly he noticed, that only little light fell into the confined room. The last thing he noticed, was the sickly sweet smell of fermented fruits. The air under the tarp was hot and thin.

Shimon pushed his hood back to get some air.

He turned onto his back and looked at the end of the tarp. With his feet he pushed the twisted end back. He was finished just in time, when he heard the blurred voice of the guard from before, saying, "Hope that was worth it. Well then, may the Crystal guide you."

"And you," the farmer replied sourly.

The cart moved slightly down and up and groaned again.

Then Shimon heard the whip of the reins and the cart started to move.

In the same instant he was hit by a wave of nausea.

Thanks to the smell it was worse than ever before. Breathing in and out harshly, Shimon tried to control his stomach and keep in its content.

He regretted his decision instantly. He should have changed his disguise and somehow tried to get a horse, instead of feeling this miserably.

The cart shook vigorously and merciless now. And Shimon squeezed his eyes shut, continuing to take in and out quick breaths.

He prayed, that the farm wasn't far away, to end this torture soon.

Men weren't made to be moved, but move on their own.

The only exception to this were horses. He had trained for years to take control over these animals so they moved accordingly to his will. When he rode, the movement of the horse became his own.

That hadn't always been like this. At the very beginning he would feel sick after the first few steps of a horse and one time he nearly fainted, while clinging to the horses back with frozen muscles.

It had been Seigen-dono, who had stirred his motivation to master riding. After he had watched Shimon for the first time, he had given him a lecture, Shimon hadn't forgotten till this day. Deeply ashamed at being called a wimp in royal clothing, he had climbed the horse anew and rode at a trot for hours, until he didn't feel dizzy anymore. (3)

Now he cursed this unmanly weakness again. He absolutely hated to feel this weak but it had been like this with transportation since he was a small child.

The only thing he could do at this moment, was to hope, that the trip wouldn't take long and the farmer had a spare horse, he could lend with the promise of payback.

Although the ride seemed as if it would never end, right now.

How long would he have to control his breathing, squeezing his eyes shut at the revolting feeling.

All of a sudden the cart jotted left and right, letting Shimon slide over the planks.

This hell had turned into a pit of fire as his body was thrown from one side to another.

He heard the fast approaching stamps of horses and a yell.

Trying to focus on the commotion outside instead of his nausea, he listened to the noises.

The stomps grew louder as they seemed to circle the cart.

It slowed down and suddenly stopped. With great effort Shimon listened while his head was still wheeling. He heard a yelp and muffled moans. After a short while he felt the down and up movement of the cart. Somebody must have taken a seat up front.

Shimon hoped, whoever the new passenger was, they wouldn't look under the tarp. If he was forced to fight now, with this nausea, he would easily loose.

All of a sudden the cart jolted forward, throwing him to the back. His head banged against the wooden panel. Biting down a moan, he shifted his body to regain some space.

This was truly disgracing.

After regaining some of his balance, he heard a gurgling sound, as the cart moved again, this time much more faster. Then there was a thud on the left side of the cart.

Twisting his body, Shimon turned around and looked through the slid between the back panel and the tarp.

Rolling in the dirt of the road, was the farmer's bloody body, disappearing soon behind a cloud of dust.

* * *

Walking through the streets of Narukami, Mayura took in a deep breath in.

It felt so good, to get out of the estate.

Since she was little, she would often sneak out of the estate and hide herself within a coat, that she kept hidden in the trunk beneath the tree, she and Rokuro used for their secret correspondence. He had brought her the old and damaged coat, after she told him once, how she wanted to see the city at least one time, without guards accompanying her very step. With this new tool she had been able to go through the city without anyone guessing her true identity. She had enjoyed herself, asking Rokuro all kinds of question about the life in the city – the things she didn't knew besides the rough number of inhabitants, the number of licensed vendors or the amount of taxes. After her adventures she would always return to the estate unnoticed.

Opportunity makes a thief. And so she had often met with Rokuro in secret and stole herself away until the coat had someday almost fallen apart.

Mayura now thought about her brown-haired friend, whom she had left behind this time. Should she have taken him with her?

No, it was better this way.

She couldn't imagine, what the consequences might have been, if he would have run away with her.

It wasn't that he was a simple commoner or that it was forbidden for her to meet Rokuro at all. But he wasn't a royal family member.

Yet, he was a good childhood friend since the day her father had carried him home, where their physician nursed him back to health.

Despite being six years old Mayura had understood, that her father had found him on the street feverish and half starved to death. He was an orphan. And although Mayura didn't understand, why her father would bring this one in particular home, she welcomed the boy in. Every night she would read a story to him. And one day he had opened his eyes and smiled at her gratefully. They had been friends from that time onward and grew up together like brother and sister with him living in the servant quarters of the estate.

She just didn't want to take her chances and risk the life of her best friend. It was good this way. It would have been unacceptable, if he would have been punished for accompanying her. Besides, she could do this alone.

So now as she walked through the streets with her head hooded beneath a cape above her dark blue yukata, she enjoyed herself once more again like she used to, when she and Rokuro had sneaked out of the estate.

While passing through the streets, she stopped shortly here and there to smell fresh flower arrangements or admiring beautiful jewelry. Even after having walked so often this path, she was still amazed at the scenery of the street being filled with lots of different people.

She breathed in the smells of the market and danced with the sounds of a busy market street, being in step with the sound of life.

After dwelling for a little while in this breezy picture of life, she reminded herself of the reason, why she was here.

To travel to Tsuchimikado, call of the arrangement and negotiate peace, that was her task.

When she set off to her journey, she had just thought about heading to Tsuchimikado and laying down her arguments in front of the feudal lord Ikaruga to cancel this silly, arranged marriage. The problem was, which she now became slowly aware of, was, that there existed no direct way between Narukami and Tsuchimikado. Not only were they divided by sea, but due to the war there was no transportation way either. From one of the maids she heard about black marketeers selling the exotic goods of one nation to another. But how could she find someone like this?

Besides, she had only little knowledge about the geography. The books she had with her dealt with nature, the animals and plants on the islands surrounding Narukami, the agriculture and the seasonal changes. Nowhere was written, how long it took to cross the sea or where exactly Tsuchimikado lay.

And so she decided to look for a map.

Passing by the market stalls, she looked for a vendor of maps, scrolls or books. Her gaze skipped over many stalls selling all kinds of goods. Candles, cloths, baskets and all other things she had never thought of being of importance.

Then in a corner under a wooden stand she spotted another vendor with a silver beard and similar colored hair, which fit the winkles carved into his face. His goods were hidden in the shadows of the stall's roof. But she could see, what she had been looking for, scrolls and books.

High staples of books rested on the old looking stall, scrolls were lying around here and there. And the ones in the front were bleached by the sun and dirty by the dust of the earth carried by the wind.

With a smile Mayura approached the friendly looking vendor. "Hello, good man, do you sell maps?"

The old man with a long and twisted goatee answered cheerfully, "I most certainly do. What particular region would you like? I have maps of the city, the harbor and the towns nearby."

Mayura nodded, letting her gaze slide over the many scrolls. There was surely a lot of maps hidden within the rolled up papers – but the map, she needed, hadn't been in his enumeration. "Do you have one displaying the sea and the land beyond the border?"

The look of the vendor's eyes changed, as he squeezed them into slits and mustered her from head to toe. Empathizing every word, he responded, "I have but one."

Feeling nervous thanks to his piercing gaze, she crossed the finger of both hands in front of her and slowly asked, "Can you show it to me?"

The man nodded once and turned away. Instead of searching in the pile of scrolls, he reached out and grabbed a scroll behind him.

Unrolling it, he spread his arms to show her it's total length.

The scroll was three spans long and maybe two span broad. On it's inner side it revealed a map created with careful strokes.

She could see the outskirts of Narukami and the sea spotted with a lot of smaller islands. With **晶** , the character for the Crystal, the island, which bore the Crystal, was marked. Beyond the sea a larger, long stretched island lay, described with the word _Tsuchimikado_. Near the coast the city of Tsuchimikado began. It's size seemed to be bigger than Narukami even.

Beyond the two big islands was nothing but the sea. Nobody knew, what lay across the big space of water, outside of he Crystal's reach. Mayura had read stories about scouts being send out to investigate and having never returned. People say, their souls refused to leave the Crystal's reach and escaped their bodies on their way.

At the border of the map was a caption giving rough measures of space and travel time.

This was exactly, what she needed. Satisfied she smiled at the man again. "How much do you want for this?"

"Given it's rarity, it costs 1 shu." (4)

Grabbing her pouch, Mayura fished out a coin and handed it to the man.

The man stared at her with raised eyebrows. A frown formed on his face and he rolled up the scroll. With a sigh he handed her the scroll and took the money offered to him. He bowed his head and said, "Thank you."

When he lifted his head, he smiled at her again.

Ignoring his strange behavior, Mayura took the scroll out of his hand and she showed her gratitude with a bow of her head.

"May the Crystal guide you," he said the words of parting.

"And you," she replied and turned around. Happy and satisfied about her newest conquest, she put the scroll between her white obi and dark yukata. Now she needed to head to harbor.

Just when she was a few steps away, the dark, scratchy voice of the vendor reached out to her again. "One word of caution, Ojou-san (5), the direction you seek is a dangerous one. You might, rethink your destination."

She turned her head and looked at the man. In his serious face, she recognized something like worry. Nodding one last time at him, she continued to walk towards the gates. Definitely less euphoric than a few moments before.

This journey, it was probably more dangerous, than she would like to admit. But wasn't it worth a try? She didn't want to marry someone else for an ill advised reason. What's more, she didn't want to be forced to marry someone, whom she'd never met. And she most certainly didn't want herself to be dragged to another land, to let her life and future to be sold off.

Hadn't she had the right to marry for love like her parents did?

The stories her mother had told her, about meeting her father, Mayura held to her heart. It hadn't been love at first sight but from the glint in her mother's eyes, when she told her about this, was enough for Mayura to wish for something like this. To make someone wear such a glint of happiness, too.

Her mother. She would miss her. The prickle in her chest was a sign, that she missed her already.

But she wouldn't be absent for long. When she returned after her journey, she would return into her mother's embrace, after having saved her future and hopefully that of Narukami's next generations.

Of course she was scared of what lay in front of her. But the resolution in her heart to take her fate into her own hands was beating faster in her chest, than the thoughts of failure and fear were pounding down on her head.

She would persuade the feudal lord to call off the arrangement and find another way to bring peace to the nations. And she wouldn't marry some Tsuchimikado prince.

With higher spirits her steps felt so much lighter and soon she reached the gates.

Watching out for some kind of carriage, she spotted a cart with two horses bound to its front and two men sitting on it. She walked over to them and smiled politely. "Excuse me. Does this cart head towards the harbor?"

A jarring voice asked, "Who wants to know that?"

Taken aback she stared at the man sitting on the cart, eyeing her body. The gaze of him looked as nasty as his face.

Just then a man standing not far from the vehicle, walked towards her, dressed in the clothing of a commoner, a blue Haori (6) and Hakama (7). "Transport costs ten mon." (4)

She nodded energetically at him and collected the coins from her pouch. It seemed like everything was playing out, like she had imagined. She would border the carriage and travel to the harbor in Gaja and there she would search for a boat shipping to Tsuchimikado. Delighted she handed the man the fee. "Thank you."

"We leave in five minutes. If you have some luggage, you better bring it now," he said roughly but with friendly eyes.

She shook her head. "I have none." The pack she had with her was small enough to be placed on her lap.

"Then we leave in one. Hop on," he waved his thumb towards the cart and climbed the front.

Quickly joining the two man on the cart, she couldn't help but smile. This turned out to be easier than she would have thought.

When the cart started to move, she looked more closely at her travel companions sitting opposite of her.

The one with the nasty face wore a small beard over his lips and on his chin with bald spots. The ponytail on his head was crooked to the side and his clothing must have seen better days – years ago. When he caught her gaze, he squinted his eyes at her.

She looked away and watched the other man, who seemed to be asleep. He was wearing the robes of a monk and had a pointed face. His hair was dark except for a blond strand of hair, dangling in front of his forehead. His hair reminded her of her father for he had a lone blond streak just like him.

Guilt washed over her. Should she have tried to talk to him one more time before leaving without a word? He had been unfair to her, but then again her actions weren't fair to him or her mother either.

Looking back at the fenced in city, she felt her heart twist painfully. More than her fears, her guilt and pain weighted her down. She had never left her mother for more than a few hours and already felt an hint of homesickness, thinking about not seeing her for an unknown period of time.

The sight of the city was growing increasingly smaller, while the cart drove over the bumpy main street, passing rice fields and farms.

With a deep sigh, Mayura pushed away the guilt. She should concentrate on her quest and on the way she could enjoy the sight of the thick trees and the surrounding mountains grazing the horizon.

She heard the clearing of a throat and let her gaze jump to the owner of the voice. The nasty looking man watched her again. He snarled, "So, who are you? Why is a young girl driving on her own to the harbor?"

"It's nothing of your concern," she mumbled.

"Hoooh?" With a grin the man leaned forward and reached for her hood.

Just then, as fast as lightening his hand was chipped away by the monk's staff.

Surprised both her and the other man stared at the monk, who seemed to be very awake now.

He glared at the man from the side, "If the maiden does not want to tell you her identity, you should let her be."

The man jerked his head away, "Tss."

She looked at the monk again, who took his staff back and leaned it against the wooden frame next to her, effectively shielding her from the other man off. A grateful smile broke out on her face, "Thank you, very much."

"I did, what I needed to do," the monk said, wearing a serious face.

He actually didn't look like he slept at all, but seemed very sharp. His eyes were small, almond-shaped. Beneath his left eye he wore a scar. Interested Mayura asked, "I wonder, weren't you asleep?"

"I've meditated. I channeled the Crystal's powers through my body," he explained.

Channeling the Crystal's power through your body? She wondered, how people could do that. A priestess at the shrine of Narukami told her once, how she tasted the power in the air and felt it in the water she bathed in. Mayura herself had never felt it, although she had tried and although the power of the Crystal was said to surround every living creature all the time.

Looking at the monk, she thought, that he did seem powerful. But she wasn't sure, if it was because of the Crystal's powers or a strengthening style of life. Yet, she was sure she could get more knowledge on the Crystal. "You belong to the brothers of the Crystal, don't you?"

"I do," he nodded.

She leaned forward, "Can you tell me about the Crystal? What about the fulfillment of the legend? When will the star fall to divide the Crystal?"

He raised an eyebrow and mustered her face for a bit. "The Crystal gave us life. It will be the one to decide, when we are worthy to receive its ultimate gift," he replied in a slightly spaced out voice.

"Tsk," the other man suddenly fell into the conversation, "That's nothing but a fairy tale."

"I won't tolerate blasphemy on my cart," the driver barked out all of a sudden, silencing the man who looked very uncomfortable now.

Mayura ignored the interference and firther inquired, "So as long as we are unworthy to the Crystal nothing will happen?"

The monk nodded. He mustered her face again, before he explained, "People seem to have forgotten about the powers of the Crystal. They eat and live under its reign, but are oblivious about, where the food they consume and the air they breathe came from. Me and my band of brothers seek to remind the people of the holy Crystal's powers." He made a pause and then continued, "If people believe again and stop committing the sin of blindness, the Crystal might call upon the star mentioned in the prophecy."

A prophecy. She believed it had been just that to the people for hundreds of years. In old books the legend had been referred to as a prophecy. But at one point it had started to be called legend.

Maybe the monk was right. Maybe people grew accustomed to the powers of the Crystal and the war, and so the prophecy became a myth to them. Yet, so many people still put their lives on the line, acting accordingly to that myth.

Mayura sighed and leaned back. She knew she had to be careful about her words. Slowly she responded, "The belief you speak of sounds sincere. But how does your religion justify the war, that has been going on for a century according to the words of the legend?"

The monk looked at her very openly, "The prophecy doesn't force Narukami and Tsuchimikado to fight. It were the first believers who misinterpreted its words. People could end the war and still wait for the Crystal to be split in two."

Mayura sat up straight. Did the monk knew about a way to stop the war? "How can it be a misinterpretation? It's said, the star falls down, splitting the Crystal and bringing the war to an end."

The monk shook his head and raised it, making his cheekbones look so prominent, "A war must not be that of weapons, it can be of wills and hearts. There mustn't be bloodshed. Besides, it's not war the prophecy calls upon but peace."

Thinking about his answer for a while, Mayura tried to imagine the idea of ending the war by carrying it out on another field. Although the monk didn't knew, he had given her another argument she can bring forth, facing the lord of Tsuchimikado, she was grateful to him. With a smirk she looked at him, "Thank you, Houshi-sama."

A red hue came into being on his face now, making her giggle.

Covering up his blush, he put on an serious face again and said, "You can call me Jinya."

* * *

(1) Some kind of doublet. See the story's cover for an example

(2) Traveling speed medival times: On foot roughly more than 20 miles a day. On horse more than 35 miles a day. (Shimon is not totally correct on this, because he is a prince and never traveled for a day but heard stories.)

(3) Explanation for motion sickness: The brain becomes confused because the input of information doesn't match up with the movement causing a disturbance of equilibrium. While riding the body normally is receiving active input that agrees with the movement. So as long as you in a sense control the movement, you won't get motion-sick. With horse riding it is the same, except you don't move a muscle or sit on it like a sack.

(4) Medieval currency system is a mess, since the values changed through history: So this system will have following currency: 4000 mon = 16 shu = 4 bu = 1 ryo (one ryo is worth the amount of rice to feed a person for a year).

(5) Ojou-san - "Young lady" formal address to a lady of status.

(6) Haori – a kimono like jacket.

(7) Hakama – Japanese trousers.

A/N: How did you like it? I know, there is a lack of shimayu action so far. But I hope, I could pull your interest for the world of this AU.^^

Don't be afraid, the chapters won't get longer than this. :P

Some word for self-advertisment: "Come Undone" is updated now with a lemon of "The Purity of White Seems To Be Red", in case you didn't notice. :P


	4. 3

A/N: While wondering, why chapter "2" has so little feedback, I tried to stay motivated with my love for this story. XD I kinda had hoped to convinve people to read this with the setting and my writing despite the lack of shimayu moments at the beginning of the story (They'll come, believe me XD). Well, I am trying my best and I am still hoping, you'd give this a chance. :P

Thanks to applejuice for telling me, that the length of the chapters is fine and longer chapters are accepted.^^ I was much easier on myself during the revision, thanks to you. ;) And at random reader: was it a least a good surprise with the monk being Jinya? Thank you for supporting the story.^^

I'm sorry, that this update took a while longer, but last week I totally forgot I had a wedding to attend to and then the rest of the week and the weekend was filled with family things... So glad, to be back.^^

 **3**

At one point of his journey, Shimon had been on a lucky streak. When he had been on his way to the Crystal, sneaking out of his estate and burrowing warrior's clothing unnoticed, to call off the arranged marriage and, more importantly, to safe his sister, he had felt as if the Crystal's blessing had reached him.

In the next moment he had found himself stolen from, captured on the cart of a farmer being in a fierce battle against the content's of his stomach and after that being abducted – theoretically. Whoever the persons were, who stole the cart, had no idea what was inside, but still...

Trying to keep his breakfast inside and safe his clothes, he pressed himself onto the wooden planes of the cart, hoping to outbalance the harsh tremor of the cart rushing over the road.

He wondered, where the cart was heading to. It seemed to have sped along an uneven road for a while now, accompanied by the sound of galloping horses.

Another bump on the street made him fly in his cage and send a new rush of nausea into his head and stomach. Later one began to churn up and down violently.

Sucking in breaths, Shimon tried to get control over his body.

His throat constricted as if it called out for the content of his stomach to leave his body.

He wouldn't vomit.

He wouldn't submit to this weakness, not now.

He was a prince and he wouldn't soil himself in this awful smelling constricted room.

Yet, he was loosing this fight, being at the mercy of the cart's joggling motions.

Just, when he thought he couldn't contain himself any longer, he felt the cart was slowing down.

In his mind he thanked the holy Crystal for this blessing.

Still concentrating on his breathing, he could feel the much more softer motions of the cart until it stopped.

Shimon couldn't hear the stomp of the horses either.

It seemed like they had finally reached their destination. Wherever that may be.

Suddenly he heard a yawn from outside. "I feel tarnished and hungry, let's make camp first, Aniki (1)."

A grunt came from the side of the cart.

The very idea of food made Shimon retch. Trying to keep down the noise he covered his mouth with a hand.

Listening closely, Shimon could hear now the steps leading the person away from the cart.

This was his opportunity to escape.

Turning around, he looked through the little slide between the tarp and the back of the cart. He saw opened wooden doors leading outside of the building the cart currently seemed to be in. He wasn't sure, if there was anything or someone else in this room but he needed to get out, either way.

The nausea was killing him.

So he took his chances and pushed the tarp upwards.

He slowly climbed down the cart, pulling out his wobbling legs one after another. Reaching for his katana, he thought about fastening it to his side but the world was spinning around him.

He went down on his knees and pressed his forehead into the cool earth.

Hissing in and out long breaths, he tried to regain his composure.

When his stomach stopped revolting, he sat up and grabbed for his pack. Retrieving a bamboo container filled with water, he swallowed down a few sips of water.

A sigh left him, when his body finally calmed down a little bit.

Pathetic, that was what he was.

Looking around he found himself in some kind of shed. Based on the huge scorches on the wall, he figured there must have been a fire in here once.

Regardless of what might had once been in this shed, he needed to know, where it lay and how he could get away from here.

Rising from the ground, he took his katana and finally bound it to his side again. Pulling the hood over his head he crept to the door and carefully looked outside. Shimon saw nothing but trees. This place looked like a small clearing in the wood. Nobody was in his field of sight and he assumed, that the people, who stole the cart must have their camp on one of the sides of the shed.

Slowly he leaned forward and looked around the corner. The horses he spotted a few feet away from him leashed to a fence, seemed to be a heaven's sent. He would take one of them for now. He could always sent the owners repayment, when he returned from his journey.

Once more he looked around but saw nobody. Sneaking towards the horses, he felt his luck revived.

He almost had reached them, when he heard an angry yell from behind him. "Oi, you there. Stop!"

Annoyed he clicked his tongue. Just when he thought luck was on his side again, he was proven wrong.

It seemed like he wouldn't get out of here without a fight.

With a swift move of his fingers he unfastened the lash on the handle of his katana and pulled it out of its sheath and turned towards the source of the voice.

He saw an unshaven man in dirty and tattered rags, walking towards him with a dull blade of a katana.

Letting his gaze slide from the right to the left, he spotted two other men, surrounding him, who grabbed for their swords, too.

Three versus one. The odds were against him but these people didn't look like fighters. Their gaunt bodies seemed to be weak. He might take them easily down, if he dealt with the first one quickly, despite the stress of his queasiness making him feel unsteady on his feet.

He took off and sprinted towards the first one, who picked up his sword in defense.

Shimon swung his sword back and pretended to attack.

As planned the man rose his sword to block.

Taking a side step, Shimon shifted his weight to the right and quickly slashed his sword to from the side. And cut flesh.

He almost didn't feel resistance of the flesh against his sharp blade, yet he had to push down the terrible feeling that rose within him at cutting someone for the first time in his life.

Yet, he had no time to let himself get confused by these feelings. Concentrating on what must be done, he watched the injured man jumping back and letting his sword drop, to hold his arm in pain.

Shimon sucked in a breath.

Two left.

He skipped his eyes to the side.

One of the others thrust his sword towards him. The other was a few more steps away. Making a turn Shimon narrowly evaded the attack of the first, feeling the wind of the blade's blow, pulling against the cloth of his hood.

Where they aiming to round him?

He needed to act fast!

Hitting the man into the inside of his elbow with his left arm, Shimon made him loose his grip onto his weapon. Quickly Shimon rose his sword and dealt him a hard blow on the head with the handle of his katana.

The man groaned and sank down.

One left.

Almost on command, he heard an angry yell directed towards him.

He grabbed the slumping body of the man with his unarmed arm and turned their bodies into the direction of the third man. That one stopped the blow of his sword in midair.

Shimon's gaze shifted to the sword below.

He kicked the blade on the ground away and pushed the unconscious body towards the third man. This one let go off the sword just in time not to harm the second man and caught the body.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shimon rushed towards him and punched him in the face in the matter of a short breath's time. The sound of crushing bones rang into his ears. Judging from the pain in his fist, Shimon was not sure if it was the other one's nose or his own fingers.

The man sank to the ground buried beneath the body of the other.

Shimon kicked away this sword, too and turned to the first attacker, who was bowing down to pick up his sword again.

Shimon pointed his blade at him and told him, "I wouldn't do that, if I was you."

Fear crossed the anguished man's face. He raised his hands in defeat and fell down on his knees.

A relieved sigh left Shimon, while he felt a dull pain within his hand. His first real battle was a successful one, but it was yet again all thanks to Seigen-dono, who had taught him the ways of quick thinking in battle and making use of circumstances. It was not the most honorable way to fight but as it was as Seigen-dono had told him once, when Shimon asked him about the honor of a warrior of Narukami. Just as back then Shimon could hear the sound of Seigen-dono's voice drawling, "Honor? There is no real honor in fighting each other, if at least one of them has the intent to kill."

Now he looked at the man cowering in fear and the two unconscious bodies. What was he going to do with them now?

Rising his gaze to the shed, an idea crossed his mind.

A while later Shimon had tied the three of them at their backs together with ropes, he'd found in the shed. After searching them, he had taken a dagger from the second man, that he could make use of on his journey.

Two of them were still unconscious – blood sipped out of the nose of the third guy wetting his beard –, when he was finished. So he turned to the third one, the cut in his arm was still bleeding, coloring the arm of his haori in a dark red stain. He probably wouldn't die of the wound but Shimon thought, he needed to be more careful, if he was ever to fight again with this sword. The Vermilion Sword had waited ages to taste the fragrance of blood, it had been resting for so long, it would easily sink into a chest to still its thirst for blood. Now Shimon had to clear the blade, on which the red substance dripped down. While wiping the sword clean, he directed the question most important to him right now at the conscious man with a low voice, "May I ask where we are?"

"Tsk."

Continuing to clean his blade, Shimon waited for a reply but the man seemed to stay silent. Patiently Shimon returned his blade to the sheath and watched the man.

He said no word, but Shimon had no time to wait any longer. He rested his hands on his hips and stared at the man, waiting for an answer.

The man was seemingly growing more and more uncomfortable under his stare and grumbled, "North of Tsuchimikado, the Western Woods."

Western Woods? He was farther away from the coast now then before. The harbor was south east. And although Crystal Island was parallel to the northern parts of Tsuchimikado, Shimon would need to travel south to Shiromi first. Thanks to those robbers he had lost a lot of precious time. The sun had already begun to sink. There was no way, Shimon could cross the ocean today. Perhaps he wouldn't even reach the harbor.

Adding to that it probably hadn't become any easier to steal himself unnoticed out of the county. By now there were surely search parties looking for Prince Ikaruga Shimon.

Roughly he replied, "Thanks."

He turned around and walked to the horses.

"Wait! Who are you? Why do you attack people out of nowhere?" The man screamed after him, seemingly talkative all of a sudden.

Attacking people out of nowhere? It had been them, who had killed the farmer and abducted his cart. The image of the bloody body rolling on the ground covered in a cloud of dust, reappeared in front of Shimon's inner eye.

He looked over his shoulder, sending the filthy looking man, who had accused him so hypocritically, a scrutinizing gaze. "I could ask you the same, since you seem to have no regard to another ones life."

The man seethed with anger, "It's the others who have no regard for our lives."

A frown formed itself on Shimon's face, trying to imagine, what the man meant but no idea came to his mind. "What do you mean?"

The man bared his teeth. His body shook in restraint, while he looked down. He spat, "The three of us were warriors of Tsuchimikado once. We fought for the country, day after day. Day after day we risked our lives for our country. But then-" A sob left him and he squeezed his eyes shut. "But then we watched our oldest brother die. Watched a Narukami pulling out our brother's guts with his blade in front our eyes."

In silence Shimon waited for him to continue. Looking at the other two guys, he could see now the similarities between them. Beneath their unruly and felty hair the hollow part around their eyes and the crooked nose looked to be the same. Now he remembered, that one of them had called the other big brother. Shimon had simply overlooked this now very obvious fact earlier. He wondered, why.

He watched the man opening his eyes again. They were filled with tears. "Afterwards we deserted. And when we returned to Tsuchimikado, everyone ignored us, our families abandoned us, send us to the street. No one would give us a job, money or food. Luckily we found this abandoned place to safe us from freezing to death. Robbery was the only thing we could do. It's nothing to be proud of. But how were we expected to survive?"

Shimon had often seen the numbers. The reports send from the front were always giving a clear overview about deaths and other forms of losses. He knew a high number of those people missing in action were people, who deserted the battlefield. Yet, he had never thought about the life they afterwards lived. He could understand the misery, they had been going through. He could understand the heartbreak at loosing a dear brother. He didn't even want to picture seeing Keiji being stabbed to death.

This world was cruel. Tainted from war.

Deserters became outcasts. Outcasts, who were neither allowed to work nor to pay taxes. They were literally left on their own.

These people. They were as much in a right as they were wrong.

War blurred the lines between fighting to survive and murdering. On and outside of the battlefield.

Was it right, that people sacrificed themselves for the greater good? For a cause everybody expected but that hadn't come true in thousand of years?

Shimon was no atheist. But looking around, seeing people suffering, made the belief in the Crystal and the holy legend have a bitter, rusty taste.

Words of defense continued to bubble out of the man, "We stole the cart so we could start to store food for the winter."

And they killed an innocent man for it.

One life was simply traded for three other lives.

What was he going to do? He was the prince but he didn't feel like he had the right to judge them.

Turning his head away from the group of brothers, he walked towards one of the horses, a dark furred stallion, and unleashed it. Once, when he would return from his quest, he would repay these people for the mount and the dagger he borrowed.

"Wait! You can't leave us here. We will starve to death," he heard the man yell from behind him.

Shimon climbed onto the horses back and looked once more at the tied up men. "Don't worry, I am sure, you will be found soon."

Shimon spurred his mount and rode to the east. He was sure, that the search parties would come across this shed soon. The three brothers would either be set free or would be charged for their crimes.

This was the world of war the people had submitted themselves, too. For a century it had been the same.

His father had been the first sovereign to actually want to end the war. His grandfather and ancestors had been clouded with fear. Loosing the Crystal to Narukami, unsure of what they might do, had pushed them on in justifying a war that war, that was built on fear, hate and the belief, that acting according to the legend, would lead to its fulfillment.

Shimon remembered the anger-filled speeches of his grandfather. The hate against Narukami which dripped from his tongue with poisonous words. It had affected him as well, which Shimon had to admit to his shame. When he was younger, he believed the stories his grandfather told about the Narukami people about their voices being like rusty saws, making your eardrums bleed and their teeth being pointed, sucking out the blood and souls of the corpses of the fallen people of Tsuchimikado.

Having looked up to his grandfather, Shimon had been hit hard, when his grandfather had one day refused to wake up and he had continued to share this hate for their foe.

Making the horse jump over a branch, Shimon thought, 'That was until I met Seigen-dono.'

This world, the people submitted themselves to, Shimon had seen it for the first time clear, talking to a man of Narukami, a man with honor and wit, who abandoned his family for the sake of peace.

It had been a leaf turned for him. And as a prince of Tsuchimikado it was his duty to return this favor to his people.

This world reigned by war...

He couldn't do anything about it, except tear the source of it out of the earth.

Ending this war, had never been this important to him than it was now.

* * *

"Alright we're almost there," the driver yelled from up the front.

The hours had quickly passed by on their trip thanks to Jinya-sama's company. He had told her more about the Crystal and about his religion. He even told her, how to evoke the Crystal's power in oneself with the help of meditation.

Jinya-sama seemed to be a kind monk in his thirties, who had seen a lot of the world and honored the power of the Crystal in each of his words.

She had sucked up every word and was eager to learn more about the Crystal and the legend, in hope to find a way to end the war with another symbol of peace than an arranged marriage. If she found another strategy to bring final peace to the lands, the lord of Tsuchimikado would have to listen to her.

And so the time flew by and they had reached the coastline with the ride being over sooner than she had expected. The day had already driveled by, as she noticed, when she looked at the position of the sun hanging low on the sky. From their position she could already see the town spreading along the coastline. Once it had been a soldier camp but over the years fishers and farmers had settled down together with the soldiers managing the supply to Crystal Island.

Now Gaja was a big town, filled with life. From a few hundreds of meters away, you could still hear the sound of life breathed out by the town, secured by a wooden palisade. She could hear the repeated clangs of the forge covering the lower mix of other sounds.

Soon she would reach the next step on her quest. But the most difficult thing was yet to come. And that was to find someone, who would bring her over the sea to Tsuchimikado.

They entered the town with the driver steering the cart to the stable's at its entrance.

Since no one reached out a hand to help her like she was used to, Mayura hopped off the cart. She was happy to stretch out her limps. Her backside hurt, from sitting on wood, that wasn't padded and had shaken vigorously beneath her backside all the way here.

"What may I call you?" Jinya-sama had approached her again.

She looked for the other nasty looking man, but he seemed to have disappeared rather quickly after the silent ride.

She smiled at the monk, "Mayura."

"Oh, like our Hime-sama," Jinya-sama said with amazement in his voice.

She felt sweat forming on her forehead. Maybe she should have thought about another name. But it was to late for that. She covered her embarrassment with a giggle. "Exactly."

He bowed his head. "Well then, Mayura-sama, it was nice meeting you."

"Eh? Just drop the sama, please." She waved her hand, feeling all the more embarrassed now.

"Since you are honored with the same name like our princess, I will call you like her." He smiled openly at her and said, "Now where do you want to go from here?"

She looked at him. He was a nice man, who helped her once. Maybe she could trust him. Maybe he knew, how she could cross the sea. Leaning forward, she responded in a low voice, "I am heading for Tsuchimikado."

Surprised he blinked his eyes at her. "Why?"

"I can't tell you," she looked down feeling regret at not being able to tell him, "I'm sorry."

He watched her for a while and sighed after a while. "Everyone has their secrets."

Grateful she nodded at him and asked, "Do you know someone, who sails over to there?"

Jinya-sama raised an hand to his chin, thinking about the question. He shook his head and said, "No, but I know of a man, who sells information. I can take you to him, if you'd like."

Bowing her head she thanked him yet again and he motioned her to follow him. They went through the town. Unlike Narukami this place didn't have a main street but a rather large and round market place with houses in all forms and sizes planted around.

They soon crossed the harbor, a long promenade was spread out over the coast, with three footbridges next to each other.

She could see a lot small fisher boats romping about the sea. The sun stood low over them, calling out a soon end of their day's work.

Never before had she seen the sea and she couldn't hold in her amazement, as she looked over the rippling water spreading as far as her eyes could reach.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made her stumble out of her stupor and she turned around to see Jinya-sama looking at her with a gaze of puzzlement.

She smiled at him and continued to walk.

Letting her gaze slide over the town, a lone, huge hut struck her eyes, placed uphill and away from the rest down here.

Intrigued she pointed a finger at it and asked, "What's up there?"

Jinya-sama turned around and looked at the spot she was pointing at. "Ah, that's the prisoner camp."

The words rang in her ear and she felt struck by them as she looked over to the building. The question ringing in her head, released itself in a mumble, "Prisoner camp?"

Jinya-sama continued his explanation, "It's where the hostages of the war are brought to."

This couldn't be true. There was no way her father, her strict but kind father, would allow such a thing.

Hostages of war?

For what purpose were they held as prisoners?

Mayura felt a pang of hurt and disappointment in her chest. How could her father overlook such cruelty? Words formed on their own, leaving her in a whisper. "How could the lord accept such a thing?"

"He probably doesn't know, it is still existing," Jinya-sama replied.

With a flutter of hope, she turned towards the monk. "What do you mean?"

He looked more serious than ever before, as he stared at the prisoner camp sitting on the hill, having planted his staff firmly onto the ground. "He sentenced an edict to stop taking prisoners. But the soldiers, the people here, have been taking prisoners forever. You could say, it's their form of payback for the losses, they've endured. Revenge for the sons, who never returned."

Relief poured through her at her father's lack of participation on this. Still she couldn't accept the circumstances. Locking up people to get back at them? That was the worst thing, she'd ever heard of. She drawled, "That sounds cowardly."

"Sssshhhh!", the monk hissed at her, skipping a scared gaze from one side to another, obviously afraid, someone might have listened to their conversation. When it was clear, nobody heard them, he said, "Fighting in a war, taking prisoners, that's what these people have done for a century. These are soldiers and their families. They work to feed the ones fighting, to bring them armor, clothing and salves to tend their wounds. They practically live for the battle front. You can't simply change their way."

Mayura couldn't understand those people. They might have been living like this for years. They might have lived in this war, since they were born. They might have inherited the hate for the people of Tsuchimikado from the ancestors. But it was different to hold someone prisoner than facing them with honor.

She couldn't accept this condition. She couldn't accept the prisoners held in cages. She would give them an alternative.

Determination filled her heart and soul. With thoughts of freedom on her mind, she turned her face towards the hill and exclaimed, "You don't know this, if you don't try."

"What are you going to do?"

A small smile broke on her face. "I'm going to free them."

"Wait, you can't-"

Not listening to the monks words, she headed towards the big hut imprisoning victims of war. As quickly as she could, bound by the small room the yukata gave her, she followed the path leading uphill.

There was nothing else uphill with the other buildings standing all in the valley surrounded by the palisade. The only thing here was the prisoner camp with a forest in its back and holders for torches stuck in the ground at the side of the path.

When she reached the peak of the hill, she felt a bit wary. Could she really do this?

No, this was not a question. She had to do this.

Raising her gaze, she came face to face with a guard.

Shocked, her feet were rooted to the ground.

She should have thought of that but her sudden plan to free these hostages had blinded her.

Said guard turned towards her. "You there, what are you doing here?"

Swallowing down the upcoming anxiety, she searched for an excuse. "I-I am new to this town. I thought, maybe the bath house would be here." When she finished talking, she noticed, that she had started fidgeting and tried to control her fingers, holding them still in front of her. It was a bad habit that her father told her to overcome, because she was expected to reign one day over Narukami and nobody would believe a leader, that wore his nervousness like a piece of clothing.

"It's not," the guard answered dryly.

"Forgive me my mistake." After bowing down a bit to enthusiastically, Mayura quickly turned on her feet and walked away. She tried to keep herself from looking back at the guard for she could feel his gaze following her.

It seemed like she would need a plan. Letting her gaze slide over the area, she saw the outside of the palisade and the bushes in front of it. She quickly jogged over to them and crouched down. Carefully she looked around. There was nobody in her range of her view.

Slowly she breathed in and out, trying to subdue the anxiety. What was she doing? She was no soldier. She was a princess.

Looking around she noticed the only way was to round the palisade and hide in the shelter of the woods.

Swallowing down the upcoming nervousness, she walked around the back of the palisade and then turned to the side, slowly climbing up the hill through bushes. Trying not to make to much sound she walked further into the forest.

The sun stood low, spending enough light to see a way across the bushes. Approaching the hut from its back, she walked towards it in a crouching posture. Of course there was no door in the back. This was to be accepted. Yet, it made her falter on her resolve once more. Was she really able to do this? Would she succeed and free them? But what if she was caught? They might kill her in an instant. And if not and if she had an opportunity to reveal her identity, she would be sent back and all would have been for nothing.

Breathing in and out, she tried to calm down her nerves. If she wouldn't take action now, when would she? Someday she would be a leader and a leader, who wasn't able to take actions was no leader at all.

Biting on her lips, she continued to walk towards the camp, crossing the trees and bushes behind it. This time she would try to make it from the other side, sneaking around the building.

Suddenly she felt a pull at her coat and heard bushes rustling. Looking down, she saw the clothing of her disguise being caught up in the small branches of a bush. Her heart beat loudly in her ears, as she waited for a reaction outside of the woods.

When nothing came, she freed the clothing from its restrain and headed again for the hut, which held the prisoners captive. This time she was more careful to round the bushes.

Finally reaching the corner of the building, she slowly leaned forward. Of course the guard was still standing in front of the building.

What now?

Scanning the area with her eyes, she saw nothing that could distract the guard.

And then she remembered, one of the stories Arata-san had told her about. A story about a lone samurai getting revenge for his family and home town and infiltrating the enemy's ground. Picking up a stone, she prayed this would work in reality as it did in fiction.

She watched the guard again. He was stoically looking ahead. And so she continued to watch him.

He did not move for a while.

With a lot of patience Mayura cowered on the ground next to the hut, the stone in one hand, the other grabbing tightly onto the strap of her pack.

It felt like an eternity passed by until he yawned and stretched his head.

Now.

Throwing the stone as far as she could to the opposite side of her, she watched it clatter to the slope of the hill and rolling down.

And like in the fiction the guard got alarmed and walked towards the source of the noise.

It had worked. It truly worked. She was truly lucky. Who would have guessed that the fiction Arata-san once told her about would come in handy?

She smiled satisfied and hastily sneaked around the building inside.

The stench of human waste hit her nostrils like a wall. Holding a hand to her mouth, she tried to fight down the queasiness filling her and walked further inside and around a corner.

Into her sight came a lot of square cages, reaching as high as her hip. In them the prisoners were held, resting on hay like animals in crouched postures.

Judging by the smell, she figured, they sat on their own excreta.

Tears ran to her eyes. It was worse than she had imagined. These people were granted no life and no dignity at all.

And yet they didn't look like the monsters, they were generally described as. Like Iorio-san they did not have two colored eyes. But most of them did not have a darker skin either.

One of them looked at her in wonder. When he opened his mouth to say something, she rose a finger to her lips.

"Hush, not a word," she whispered.

All of a sudden she heard them. Steps. Behind her.

The guard was likely returning to his position. But he didn't stop at the front. She heard the sound of footfalls against wood. Quickly she looked around. There was nothing here but the cages containing the prisoners.

And then she saw one that was empty. The blood strain on the hay, told her, what had likely happened.

In great haste she squeezed herself into the cage, hid her pack beneath her coat and pulled the door after her.

Just in time, when the guard entered. Turning her head away, she counted the in and outtakes of her low breath.

The suspense was getting on her nerves, when the guard wouldn't move.

Her fingers beneath the coat clutched onto the door.

She prayed, he would leave.

Then after a while she heard his steps, leaving the hut again.

She breathed a sigh of relief and exited the small room of the wooden cage, feeling her back hurt only after a small amount of time sitting in the cage.

The prisoners looked at her again. Some eyes were filled with hope, but most of them seemed dull and dead.

Nearing one of the cages, she looked at the lock. The door was locked thanks to hoes clasped with each other and bound by a pin. She tried to pull it out but it wouldn't move. She hit her hand against it to hammer it out of the hooks. A short while later and with a lot of splints in her hand, she was able to open the door.

The prisoner turned around for the first time. And he did look different. His skin was dark, not the copper taint Iorio-san had, just dark. His hair was long and white and his eyes did have two colors. He reminded her awfully well of the descriptions of Tsuchimikado people by Narukami. But she didn't believe his eyes would suck out her soul.

She watched him leave his cage and stand up. Without a word, he turned to leave.

Surprised she whispered at him, "Don't you want to save the others?"

In an even tone he told her, "I don't care about the others." His voice lacked any form of emotion. He turned his head to the side and asked her, "What are they to you? Are they more important than your own life?"

Did he not care about his fellow people?

What was this cold demeanor of his?

Angry about his behavior she whispered, "Why is that-"

"Decide, either leave them behind or loose your life," he said

"I can't-," she started but he interrupted her.

"Ten, nine-"

"What?"

"Eight."

"What are you-"

"Seven."

"- doing?"

"Six."

"Fine," she hissed, "if you won't help me, I have no choice."

Leaning his head to the side, he looked at her. The lack of life in his differently colored eyes, bore into her like knifes. "Did you decide?"

She turned away from him and opened the next cage. This time the pin moved more easily. Without a further thought she opened one cage after another.

The people were running out. She heard yells coming from outside. The freed prisoners fled one by one out of the hut.

Suddenly she was pushed aside and hit the floor, scratching her face on the solid, rough wooden floor. Rising her gaze she saw the prisoners walking over her, as they were pushing against each other.

Shielding her head with her arms, she waited for the commotion to end. Then she felt an enormous pain piercing her stomach. One prisoner stepped on her, stomping his foot right into her belly.

A shocked gasp left her at the pain that exploded in her stomach and spread through her limbs. She squeezed her eyes shut and huddled up on the floor, holding onto the spot the blinding pain emitted from.

All of a sudden she felt something hit her head hard.

A new form of pain exploded within her. Pulses of blinding lightening pierced through the darkness in her head.

She whimpered.

She felt someone grabbing onto her yukata.

Faintly she heard her name being yelled.

It was getting louder and louder, while she lay huddled up on the floor, fighting against the agony radiating from her stomach and head.

"Mayura-sama." Someone tagged on her sleeve. Then she was lifted off the ground and carried away.

She felt like flying while the pain still tormented her nerves.

Nausea joined the pain in a storm.

She opened one of her eyes and saw the face of the monk Jinya-sama framed by the crowns of trees above. Then she lost her consciousness, sinking into an all embracing darkness.

* * *

(1) Aniki – Way to address the older brother but only in spoken form

A/N: When Mayura was hurt, I seriously had a parallel sketch within my head, looking like this:

 _Me: NOOO, Mayura! Quick Shimon, heal her!_

 _Shimon: How?_

 _Me: I DON'T KNOOOW! *gasp* HOW ABOUT A KISS?!_

 _Shimon *stern gaze*_

 _Me: Hurry!_

 _Shimon *stern gaze*_

 _Me: For crying out loud! You're a hard nutshell to crack._

 _Shimon *stern gaze*_

 _Me: Forget it... *leaves*_

(If you're asking yourself now, if I am mad, it is totally understandable. And I can only say, I haven't had myself tested, yet. :P)


	5. 4

A/N: Welcome back! Enjoy your read. ;P

And thank you for all your nice reviews!^^

 **4**

After riding for a long while, Shimon was granted the sight of the coast and the sea, embracing the island of Tsuchimikado. The incident with the robbers had stolen him a lot of time as he now gazed upon the sun sinking to the horizon. He should look for a shelter. He wouldn't reach the harbor soon anyway.

Heading south on the road along the coast, he hoped he would arrive at the next town soon. Recalling the map of Tsuchimikado, he tried to remember, which town would lay on his way.

All of a sudden his stomach churned violently. But it wasn't out of nausea this time. After having been contained in the hot and humid air of the cart for hours and riding the rest of the day he was hungry and thirsty.

Spurring the horse on, he galloped over the path across the coast. If his memories served him right, he would reach the small town of Shiromi in short time.

Not much time passed, when he came to see a building at the horizon, surrounded by a large area of rice fields.

It had to be a farmer's house.

He wondered, if he should stop there and ask for food but then the picture of the dead man rolling on the ground came back to him. The man had become another victim of this war. A man who had a pregnant wife waiting for him at home, if Shimon remembered the words, the farmer had said to the guard at Tsuchimikado correctly.

He figured, it probably wasn't this farm for there were more towns in this region for a farmer to sell his goods to. But still the memory the sight evoked in him, let him ride past the farmer's house. He hadn't been oblivious to the world outside the Ikaruga estate's walls. He had heard stories about robbery and murder but the experience felt like a raging fire next to the kindling flame those stories enlightened.

All these years he had trained himself, hardened his body and skill in handling a sword to perfection thanks to the help of Seigen-dono. But he was no warrior. He might have put on this warrior's clothes but beneath them was the flesh and heart of a man filled with regret and anger at the sight of war's means.

To follow his hearts needs, he turned a blind eye on what lay behind him.

Riding for what felt like an eternity due to the hunger twisting his stomach, he wished he could make faster haste without torturing his mount. But then he finally caught sight of something at the horizon.

Farther ahead he could see the small town of Shiromi built on a hill. Only a few people lived a life outside of the city or the warrior camp at the harbor. Life outside these protected places was rough. Deserters weren't the only danger outside of the walls of Tsuchimikado. Escaped prisoners and vagabonds were a threat as well. So he knew, that the few huts which came in his sight were inhabited by only a few people, who voluntarily lived outside of the direct protection of the forces.

From afar he could see only three huts and he didn't expect there to be not many more.

He tore at the reins to lower the speed of the horse when he was nearby. Before he reached the town he dismounted the animal and lead it into the town on foot.

From one of the huts he heard a few voices. Through the window he could see the warm light of a fireplace. As he approached the hut, he could see a young maiden coming out and looking at him. She quickly smiled at him and bowed down. He figured it must be thanks to the warriors uniform. "Welcome to Shiromi," she said.

"Thank you," he replied and pointed at the building behind her. "Is this the local tavern?"

He noticed the dimples, when she smiled. Her brown eyes had a warm tint reminding him of hazelnuts. She softly giggled. "It is something like that. Do you want me to take care of your horse for you?"

He nodded and stretched out his hand holding the reins. "Thank you."

She walked towards him and took the reins from him. "You're welcome. Go inside."

He noticed, that she was much smaller in height, having to look down on her, when she was standing directly in front of him.

Following the invitation, he entered the hut. Inside he saw a few small tables, which were mostly occupied by a few men, who were drinking sake. The fireplace was in the back of the room, spending enough light, against the dimming sun and filling the room with warmth. It smelled like wood, herbs, candle wax and wine, welcoming and comfortable.

He sat down on one of the empty tables, ignoring the interested stares and gazes at his hooded figure. For a moment he wondered, if he should lift the hood as manners commanded, but he feared that even those people living afar from the city would recognize him.

After a short while the girl reappeared, walking over to him. "Can I bring you something to eat or drink?"

An embarrassing rumble came from his stomach. His face started to feel hot and he covered it with a frown, "Both would be kind. Thank you."

She smiled sweetly and turned away.

Just then he remembered that he had no money at all. Quickly he grabbed for a sleeve of the maiden.

She turned around with a blush and waited for him to say something.

In a low voice he admitted the truth, hoping she wouldn't throw him out and at least spend him old bread and a bit of water. "Actually, I have no money with me. But I can repay you later."

"That won't be a problem," she quickly replied.

Surprised, he blinked at her. "How come?"

"You're a warrior. You serve our land and fight under the will of the Crystal. Take as much as you need."

Her smile was heartwarming and honest.

"Thank you," he nodded turning his gaze away, looking at the wooden planks of the table. His eyes followed the pattern of the wood. Guilt filled him. This kindness and generosity, he received, it was all thanks to a disguise. He didn't deserve it. It was the warrior who this uniform did belong to.

However, the guilt vanished, when the maiden placed a cup of steaming hot tea and a bowl of equally steaming hot soup in front of him.

Not everything about this world was bad. Not everyone outside of Tsuchimikado was tormented by war. Just like this comforting taste of the soup these thoughts soothed him. He had to end this war and bring peace to this land, so that this, filling your stomach with a warm soup, would become reality for everybody.

And he would repay this kind maiden, who brought him food and drinks. She deserved to live in a peaceful world as much as anybody else.

If he ever were to take a wife, he would choose someone like this. Sweet and kind, natural and pure.

Although, now that he thought about it, he would need someone with a strong heart. Someone he could look up to, instead of looking down on. Someone that would meet him eye to eye.

He wasn't sure, if that someone even existed.

But one thing he knew for sure, if he ever would marry, it was out of his own decision and not because of an arrangement.

Come to think of it. This was the first time in his life, that he wondered, what his wife would be like. So far he had never thought about marrying at all. He had committed his life to train and school himself, so that one day he would be the right hand of his brother, the next ruler of Tsuchimikado.

Now he thought back to the stories Inanaki Arata-san, the consultant and friend Seigen-dono had brought along, told him. It had been stories of the strongest of samurai, a ronin, a lone warrior who lived a thousand years ago traveling over a never-ending land, bigger than the island of Tsuchimikado. On his adventures he came across many women but only one he loved and left behind on his way. Shimon remembered now the emotions Inanaki-san had told him about, the moment the hero lay eyes on the woman.

While eating his soup Shimon wondered now as he did then, if love was truly like this. If his heart would ever start to race by simply looking at a woman.

He doubted it.

It was the poets doing, thanks to which people believed in something like this. Giving them hope by brightening up simple things. Frankly, Shimon had believed the legend to be a poets doing, too. Sometimes he had wondered, if the thousands of deaths all had been in vain. That was until his little sister had been saved from the verge of death, prolonging her lifespan for four more years. It had been a monks doing, who claimed to wield the Crystal's powers. Since then Shimon had been reassured in his belief of the Crystal's powers. It gave life and it took life. Now it just needed to fulfill it's end of the bargain and be split into two. One thing Shimon would make sure of.

Finishing the soup, he was more certain than ever before, that he needed to succeed in his quest.

Not only for his family's sake or his own but that of every resident of Tsuchimikado and Narukami alike.

But because of the lost time due to some unforeseen events he was rather late in his plan. Almost a day.

Today he wouldn't take a ship to Crystal Island. He wouldn't even make it to the harbor. He would need to call upon the hospitality of the maiden and her people. Maybe they would offer him a place to stay at for the night.

Finishing the rest of his soup he looked up. Nobody was giving him a second glance by now. At the table next to him a man loudly told a story. Something about him being drunk. Shimon focused more on the man's tale.

"I fall and rip it off. And then she says, 'By the Crystal, what have you done?' And then I say, 'Eh, baby, this has nothing to do with the Crystal.'" The man finished bawling with laughter; his body heaved up and down and the raised cup spilled sake onto the table.

Shimon chose to return to ignoring the others around him. He had not much sympathy for drunkards. Sipping the tea he felt it soothe him, it calmed him. For the first time he felt the strain of the day and the warmth made him sleepy.

Leaning back, he closed his eyes and stretched his neck with a tired sigh.

When he reopened his eyes, the maiden had reappeared in front of him. As if she responded to his silent wishes, she asked, "Are you looking for a place to stay?"

Carefully he nodded. Had his luck finally returned to him?

"I am sorry. This isn't exactly a tavern, where we have room for travelers passing through. But you can stay at the stables, if you'd like."

He didn't imagine a pile of hay to be as soft as a futon, but when he left the city, he hadn't expected to indulge himself in comfort. "Could you lead me there now? I had a very rough day."

"Of course."

She lead him out of the hut, grabbing two lanterns on her way. Again he ignored the interested stares. At least he wouldn't have to look out for his money tonight, because he had none.

He was surprised it was dark outside all ready. The sun had been low when he arrived here, but time seemed to have flown while he was busy with his soup and tea.

The maiden walked over the a large place with a fountain.

"Here it is," she said. The light of the lantern fell into the boxes of the stables, most of them were occupied by horses, one of them puffed at him, probably annoyed at the sudden disturbance.

He looked at the empty one with a large pile of hay. It didn't stink much so he figured it might have been cleaned on a regular basis. With a grateful smile he turned to the brown haired maiden again. "Thank you."

"It's us who have to thank you. This is the least we can do." With a bow she left.

Placing the lantern on the ground, Shimon gave his best to kick the hay into a corner and push it down to make himself a cushion to rest on.

When he was satisfied, he got rid of the coat that had tormented him with heat for most of the day. Shimon wondered, if he should put down the armor, too. If he would be attacked in his sleep, there was only a little chance the attacker wouldn't pierce through the slits between the scales anyway. On the other hand it wasn't easy to put the armor on without help. The first time had been a very difficult task. One that he wasn't very excited about to repeat so soon.

Just then he heard noises of someone entering the stables.

Grabbing the lantern and placing a hand on the handle of the katana, he waited for them to enter, watching the cone of light of the lantern growing bigger and bigger. There was no way he could hide himself in time. He needed to be prepared for everything. The light got closer and closer. Blinking Shimon tried to make out the person shielded by the light.

Just then he recognized her again in the soft glimmering shine that cast long shadows over her face. The girl with the sweet smile.

This time she was carrying next to the lantern other things.

"I thought you might need these."

She put down a blanket and a bowl of water with a cloth hanging it onto the earth.

When she rose again, he could see the soft blush on her cheeks. Her eyes fled his.

Was his cover already blown? Did she recognize him?

Rooted to the ground, he held onto the lantern and the sword, without moving a muscle.

"I won't tell anyone, I promise," she said in a low voice. Then she turned on her heels and quickly jogged away.

She knew.

Shimon swallowed hard, when he turned to the things she had brought along with her.

But she won't tell?

He hoped, he could trust her. So far this girl had been nothing but kind to him. There was no reason for him to mistrust her.

Maybe he should repay her with a gift, when he returned from his quest, if she stayed true to her word. Something to repay his debt to this young and sweet girl. A sign of his gratefulness.

Yet despite her kindness, she still didn't stir the emotions in him, Inanaki Arrata-san had told him about. He didn't know where this thought was coming from again. But while he knelt over the bowl and washed away the dirt of today's journey, he couldn't help but wonder, if he'd ever met a woman like the stories promised. If he would ever be as happy as his parents had been until his mother passed away.

Perhaps he was getting to soft on this topic. Perhaps it was the arrangement that made him wonder about love and marriages. He didn't know. But one thing he did know. And that was, that an arranged marriage was the opposite of love. And although he had no idea about love, he was sure, it was wrong to force somebody into it.

A wife should be someone, you want. Not somebody you get.

* * *

The world started spinning, when her consciousness returned to her.

Within the darkness surrounding her, she felt like she was tied to an endlessly turning wheel.

Her throat was constricted with nausea as she regained consciousness.

Turning to her side, she carefully breathed in and out. Her head felt heavy and throbbed in pain.

The wheel slowed down, giving enough space for the pain, that throbbed through her, starting from her stomach. With a moan she squinted an eye open.

She had no idea, where she was.

The blurry image showed a wall with dents and splints visible in the shower of daylight.

Turning around, she noticed, that she lay on a soft ground – a futon. She hissed when she rolled over her strong hand. Looking down, she saw it wrapped being wrapped up in bandages. Slowly memories of her hitting wooden pins to unlock prisoners' cages appeared in front of her inner eye. Was she in some kind of prison herself now?

She turned her body once more, this time more careful about her hand.

When she was finished shifting her weight to the other side, she saw a small room. Light broke in from under the irregular planks of the wooden door. There were sacks of rice and ground wheat in a corner. A stack of eggs was placed on some kind of cupboard. She smelled the scent of dried meat filling the room. Another wave of nausea hit her and she moaned.

Fortunately this wave faded into a bearable headache after a few deep breaths. At least she knew now, where she was. She had to be in some kind of storage.

Just then she heard a knock on the door. Rising herself into in an upright position, she called the person on the other side of the door in.

The door opened, blinding her for a moment with the bright sunlight streaming in. A figure darkened by the shadows cast from the light in their back stood within the frame. Blinking her eyes, she could recognize the figure was Jinya-sama, carrying his staff in one hand and a tray in the other. The rays of light were filled with sparkles of dust levitating around him.

"Good morning, Mayura-sama. I hope you are well rested." He walked into the room and placed the tray on the ground in front of her.

She looked at the bowl filled with rice and the tea standing beside it. She felt hungry and nauseous, looking at it. She should have ate something yesterday. "Where are we?"

"The storage room of a small tavern of Gaja. We were lucky, the escaped prisoners went riot, so that we were able to escape unnoticed. I wanted to make sure though, nobody could recall your face."

Her face?

With a gasp Mayura reached out for her hood, but instead of the roughen cloth her fingers touched her soft hair.

Shocked Mayura stared ahead. She was frozen. Who had seen her like this? Was it possible Jinya-sama knew about her true identity?

Perhaps – perhaps she was lucky and he hadn't heard about the princess of Narukami, having uniquely blonde hair fading into green. In the city of Narukami everyone knew. That's what she heard from Rokuro at least. Unlike her he could walk around, without being noticed as someone special. He wouldn't need to cover his face and hair to stroll around the city and had listened here and there of people talking about the princess with the fair hair.

She dropped her hand from her hair to her lap. Her eyes jumped to him. He was standing there with a stern face. Yet his eyebrows were slightly curved. In suspicion?

Jinya-sama turned away from her gaze. "I wonder," he began, while sinking to the ground next to her, "how did you get inside the prisoner camp?"

Should she let it rest? Maybe he wasn't onto her. And even if he was, she could trust him, right?

She recalled the events from yesterday. The prisoner camp, the guard, her trick, which had miraculously worked just like it did in the stories. She huffed a giggle and mumbled, "The guard probably never heard the tales about Abe no Seimei, the legendary samurai of unheard lands."

"Pardon?"

She looked at him. His face was painted with confusion.

She smiled at him. "Never mind." Feeling much more at ease, her gaze rested on the food in front of her. The nausea she felt moments prior, had lifted a bit. "I had some inspiration."

He hummed. After a few moments, he told her, "I hope, you don't mind me, having brought you here."

"Not in the least. You have my thanks, Jinya-sama. I'm obliged to you."

"You are very welcome, Mayura-sama."

Her gaze fell unto the ground again. And it was in this exact moment, in which she recognized, that something was missing. Her ears rung, her head felt like struck by lightening.

"Are you alright?" Jinya-sama's voice reached for her, drawn out behind the droning ring in her heard.

After the realization punched into her, she felt panic rise within her throat. Feverishly she searched for her pack, turning left and right, looking in each corner and niche. It wasn't there.

Not beside her, neither under the blankets nor in corners between the stored goods. It wasn't here.

Shocked and frightened, she mumbled, "My belongings. They are all gone."

"They had been already taken by one of the prisoners, when I found you in between the havoc. I am sorry," Jinya-sama informed her.

Her books, her purse, all of her things were gone. Her books... She had read all of them once before but-

And how would she reach Tsuchimikado now? She didn't believe anyone would take her along without any form of payment.

Even if she found somebody, who could give her the passage to Tsuchimikado, even if the man Jiny-sama had talked about, was able to do that, she would never get on with her journey now. If he wanted money, she couldn't pay him. She had nothing. Everything that she had brought with her on the journey, had been in her pack.

The idea of failure slowly started to torment her as pictures stumbled over each other in her head. They showed her returning home without having accomplished anything and having brought shame to the house of Amawaka. They showed the disapproving look of her father, the pity and sadness of her mother.

Sad and disappointed about herself and the world, she faced this hopeless situation, holding a hand to her chest and looking unfocused ahead.

Under the cloth of her yukata, she felt it now.

No, she hadn't lost everything. There was one thing of high value and importance to her, pointing out under the material of her clothes. If she would seize this...

But she didn't want to. The events that lead to this desperate action lay heavy on her heart. How was she supposed to sell the one material thing, that meant the world for her, when the world outside was cruel and ungrateful?

She really didn't understand, why this happened. How could a prisoner rob her, after she had saved his life? Why would anyone do that? Hadn't they been thankful? How could they stomp on her and take her belongings after she's freed them out of their disgracing confinement?

Feeling beaten and exploited, she murmured, "I don't understand. I freed them. Yet, they stole from me."

She heard a heavy sigh coming from Jinya-sama. Her eyes skipped to him.

With a grave gaze he watched her. He rose his voice to a firm and strong level, "Mayura-sama, excuse me for saying this, but you seem very unfamiliar of this world." His eyes felt like they bored into her, reminding her of her father's eyes. Shame and repentance crawled in her throat and behind her eyes. "Who are you really?"

Taken aback Mayura stared at the man with the scar under his eye. Had he recognized her? Had she been caught? What would he do, if he really knew, who she was? Would he bring her back? Carefully she inquired, "What do you mean?"

He folded his arms and shook his shoulders. "First of all you storm a prisoner camp on your own, as if you'd never heard the likes of it before. Also it seems to me, as if you never saw humans, who lost their soul during the war. The people you freed, no matter how courageous your actions had been- Some of them aren't human anymore, having lost themselves on the battle field and after being held captive like beasts for years."

He was right, wasn't he?

She had seen herself as victim. But who was the real victim here? It was a question nobody could answer.

She had lived on in a sheltered world with foolish ideals.

She had been blind to the world outside.

She had been wrong in her image of the war.

She had believed, she knew a lot about this war. She had thought, she could picture the misery emitted by this war.

Now she came to the understanding, that she knew nothing at all. Knew nothing about the pain of the victims. Nothing about the hate of their families. And nothing about the consequences war left in its wake. So far she had lived a life sheltered away from this.

She had believed the solution to this war being easy. Had believed that the people would want to end it, too. That they just needed to see the wrong interpretation of their religion. How naive she had been.

Now she could see a clearer picture. She understood, why the war was going on without an ending and why the sovereigns had to refer to certain methods to end it. The possession of the Crystal was one thing. It had started this. But the war had also fed itself. With every victim the hate rose, with every loss the wish for revenge had grown into thick layer of flesh. This war was a big giant of hate and prejudices.

Their religion, the subordination to the Crystal, it was just a disguise covering the body of hate beneath, just like the cape of a commoner had hid her royal appearance and her ignorance of the world.

"So, who are you really?"

His voice broke her out of her train of thoughts. He looked at her in question and she returned his gaze with one filled with resolution. This way of life couldn't continue like this. She had to find a solution.

As the princess of Narukami.

If she would need to sell the one thing that was important to her, she would do it. For the course of something greater a leader should be ready to take sacrifices. Even if it meant to sell the one token of her mother's love, that was strapped to her neck.

As the princess of Narukami, it was her duty to head forwards, no matter the price.

With a strengthened heart, she lay a hand directly to the piece she wore close to her heart and told him, what he needed to know and she needed to say, "Maybe I am the one, whom you believe to see in me."

"I thought so," he looked down, seemingly lost in thought. Then he openly smiled at her. "Come, eat up and then I'll bring you to the man, who will grant you a passage to Tsuchimikado."

She nodded at him and dug into her food.

A while later they made their way through the town of Gaja. The fishers were bringing their second catch of the day into town. An heavy cloud of smoke rose from the forge, accompanied by the thundering hammer blows, as the smiths worked hard to produce their metal goods for soldiers and people alike.

Jinya-sama lead her into the outer corners of Gaja, far from the hustle and bustle of the center, were people worked for their living and a group of children played with a kitten. He told her the man they were looking for was earning a lot of money with his information and not so legal businesses. But thanks to his field of work he was discreet.

Ujii Kengo – she hoped that he could truly help her. She hoped, the necklace would be enough to pay for the trip. Selling the last piece of her belongings was the hardest thing, she could imagine. Not because of its value in gold but its value to her.

But no, it was not the last piece, Mayura had to admit. Earlier she had noticed another thing that had not been stolen from her. The map. It was still hidden underneath her obi, waiting for being made of use on her journey.

Close to the barracks weren't many buildings for professional purpose. There was one that was banished into a corner, in front of which large pieces of skin were stretched out to dry. Even from her standing point the pungent, rotten smell of the tanner's work reached her.

Mayura was shocked, when the monk headed towards that place all of a sudden. Would her passage to Tsuchimikado be found between fells and skins and buckets of water, removed grease and fat?

Trying to ignore the increasing stench, Mayura followed him around the building and truly he knocked at its back door.

The door opened. Sunlight fell onto the enormous amount of leather pieces and fur filling the room. In between sat a man in front of a table writing something in quick, practiced strokes. A soroban (1) was placed next to the papers. After a while he lifted his gaze at them.

He turned towards her male companion and asked, "How can I help you?"

"This girl seeks for transportation towards Tsuchimikado,"Jinya-sama said.

The man looked at her now. He mustered her with one fast gaze and claimed, "She can't pay." Having said that he returned to his scribbling.

Jinya-sama looked at her now and nodded for her to show him her one treasure, of which she told the kind monk while eating.

With a heavy heart, Mayura reached for the necklace around her neck and pulled it off her head. Her mother had given her this, when she had become 14 years old. She told her it was once a present from her father to her mother and that she deserved to have the one sign of their love because she wasn't the largest one of them all. Since then Mayura had worn it every day, feeling like she had her parents with her, close to her heart. As it was ripped out of the proximity of her heart, her chest started to ache painfully in remorse and the feeling of loss.

Before she had always had her parents next to her heart, now she had nothing. All of a sudden she felt homesick and scared.

She wanted to go home.

She wanted to cuddle up in her mother's embrace.

But she needed to do this. Not as the daughter of Amawaka Seigen and Yukari but as the future lady of Narukami.

For the means of the future, her past had to wait for her return.

And so she held out the pendant, a small piece of the Crystal and let it dangle in front of the face of Ujii Kengo, "I can."

He rose his bored looking eyes. All of a sudden his facial expression changed. His eyes widened, growing big as plates. "Where did you get this?"

"It was a present. One of high value to me."

He nodded excitedly and tilted his head from one side to another, examining the tiny piece of the Crystal, that shone mysteriously, "Most certainly. With this you could travel back and forth at least fifteen times."

She hadn't known, that it was worth so much. Yet, it didn't feel like it was enough to repay the significance it held for her. Digging the fingers of one hand into her yukata, she recalled a bit of her strength. At least enough to go through with this. With a controlled voice she told the man sitting in front of her, "For now one time would suffice."

"Certainly," he rubbed his chin and grinned like a cat.

"Do we have a deal?"

He finally tore his gaze from the shining pendant and looked at her. "We would. But I fear I cannot pay you back accurately."

"It doesn't matter," she mumbled and looked down at her now folded hands.

With a smirk he grabbed the soroban and pushed a few pearls in a row. The smirk turned into another grin. "I like profitable deals," he said and nodded, "There is a vendor ship, which soon will set sail. Officially it's headed towards Crystal Island, to bring the soldiers the goods. In truth it's headed towards Tsuchimikado island. I will see to it, that you will be brought along as well."

After all her struggles, her goal finally seemed to be within reach. But in comparison to her earlier accomplishments this time, the next step tasted sour and bitter. She bowed towards him nevertheless. "Thank you."

"Wait at the third landing stage from the right. A man will come to you and take you to the ship."

She nodded.

"And don't forget your change."

He handed her a heavy, leather pouch. With a smirk he said, "May the Crystal guide you."

"And you," she forced a polite smile on her face.

This pouch weighted too much.

* * *

(1) Soroban- Japanese name/form of an abacus, e.g. the thing Kengo carries around.

A/N: Okay, I admit the teaser on tumblr was misleading. I guess you are prepared for shimayu now, ain't ya?^^ Let's see if we get there.


	6. 5

A/N: *caugh* Yeeeaaah... Sorry? For the late update, I mean. Recent reviews reminded me, that there was something I needed to do. XD Well, enjoy the new chapter. Hope, you're still interested. *nervous giggle*

 **5**

Chinu – the so called town of warriors was huge. What had started as a camp for bringing the Tsuchimikado warriors back and forth between the Crystal Island and Tsuchimikado as well as serving them as a source of supply, was almost a city on its own, stretching over the eastern coast.

He felt like he rode all day, to finally get here.

Luckily this time, no incident kept him away from his goal. Yet, the sun stood high already. He shouldn't have spend time to devour the breakfast the maiden had left in front of the stables for him. But he hadn't wanted to appear ungrateful. And so he dug into the meal, regaining the last bit of his strength the day before had taken from him. He was still wary about the maiden but he was helpless against her mercy. If she chose to betray him, he had no power against it.

With the hood over his head, Shimon rode into the town of Chinu and made haste to get to the harbor. He didn't want to waste another portion of his time to get to Crystal Island.

Now, he only had to get onto one of the boats that shipped warriors to the battle front. There he would try to get more information on the Crystal and find a way to split it. It sounded easy but Shimon couldn't ignore the fact that the final point in his plan was still blurry. Yet Shimon told himself to believe in his success. A man shall rather be a fool with beliefs than a fool without. Words Seigen-dono had taught.

He couldn't back down for the sake of his family and his country. He wouldn't rest until he reached the goal of his journey.

There was not a thing that men weren't able to destroy or harm. Not even the Crystal could be invulnerable.

Some would may call his act blasphemy. Splitting the Crystal was the same as attacking the source of all life. For Shimon it was the fulfillment of the sacred words of the legend. He didn't want to anger their god, he wanted to help the prophecy to come true, according to its ultimate will.

But he would need to be careful, when he made his research. If someone would find out about his plans, he might be burned at stake, no matter his true identity. Nobody would listen to his arguments if he told them about his point of view. They would still call his plan to be blaspheme and sinful. At the same time, Shimon believed they all had their sins. Only the Crystal should decide about life because it was giving it in the first place. Yet, this didn't count for the enemies of Narukami.

Peace. The very idea seemed to be a dream. For a thousand years people had lived for the Crystal, fought for the Crystal and died for the Crystal. Motivated by their fears, their anger and their hate as well as the belief that if they acted accordingly to the legend, it would one day become true. This – this mission of his was the only way to gain peace.

With these thoughts he fed himself on the courage, he needed to continue with the next of his steps.

Ignoring the hustle around him, he headed directly to the harbor. Beside him he spotted the fisher boats trolling around at bay, collecting their next catches of the day. His eyes travelled along the harbor and found a few big boats. Some of which he assumed to be boats to bring the supply to the camp on Crystal Island and some to transport the soldiers.

He had no idea which was the right one.

Clicking his tongue, he wondered, what he could do now. He hadn't thought about this before.

The wise thing to do, would be observing. The ships looked empty right now.

Looking around he saw a row of buildings, sheds and huts, and a market place to his left. To his right was a big public place with a fireplace and a fountain.

He chose to go to the fountain and take a sip, while observing the harbor.

Yet, not a thing happened at the harbor, while he drank the fresh water from the fountain. Was it usually like this? He would have thought, ships would head out to Crystal Island everyday. Had they been send off already, while he had been on his way from Shiromi to Chinu?

Just as he straightened his posture he heard the sound of armor rustling behind him accompanied by the crunching sound of footsteps on the sandy ground and voices.

He bend down again, to take another sip.

A dark, male voice complained, "Don't know, why we have to deal with this now. Such a drag."

"Right? It is pretty convenient. Just when we were supposed to head out to the island, the prince has gone missing," the other one nosily said.

The two warriors walked past Shimon, who still acted, as if he was thirsty, hiding himself in a bend down position with his hood falling over head.

The man with the dark voice snorted. "Which one is it anyway?"

"They said the younger one," Shimon could see them now. The one with the nosy voice looked at the other man with a shook of his shoulder.

"Hn. I don't think, he would be here of all the places. If I were a rich child with my ass stuck up full with money, I wouldn't be here of all the places."

The other guy laughed. His nosy tone transformed the laugh into a high pitched and broken noise, "True that. I would buy myself a brothel and make women bend to me all day."

A dark chuckle came from the other at the bad joke and before he nodded his head towards the boats. "Anyway, I hope, he is found soon. I can't wait to go back to the island and repay those Narukami bastards for what they did to my brother in-law."

Shimon waited for them to pass before he rose his body in an upright posture. The news that Prince Shimon disappeared had surely traveled fast.

This was bad news. The boat wouldn't set sail today and he was searched for. He could wait for the next day in hope that she ship would finally head for Crystal Island. But there was no guarantee, that they wouldn't search him, if he would even manage to stay unrecognized until then.

Why were they searching here already? Could it possibly be, that the maiden in Shiromi had sold his secret?

No, they weren't searching this area particularly and they weren't doing it like they would do it, if they believed him to be here for certain. She couldn't possibly have told them, otherwise they would have known the road he was heading. And that road was leading here, to Chinu.

More importantly, he had to devise another plan. And fast. Staying in town would be too dangerous.

Walking back into the direction of the harbor, he opted to hide himself on one of the boats in hope they weren't searched and the chosen one, would be the boat to depart to the island first. The chances weren't high. Three of the big boats lay at anchor. If he was unlucky, it would take him days until he was on the right ship. He had lost too much time already on his journey.

Letting his gaze swipe over the landing stages and boats he tried to think about an alternative plan. Something. There had to be something else he could do.

And then his gaze fell onto a small boat. A tiny rowing boat, hidden beneath the large shadow of the other boats.

It felt like an invitation. One he wasn't totally averse to.

* * *

"That's it," she said and turned around to her companion, standing on front of her on the landing stage. A worried expression was planted on his face, clear as day.

Mayura smiled at him, trying to show him some of her resolve. She wasn't going to give up now. If she wanted for things to change she had to get active. She wouldn't wimp out. She wouldn't give up without trying. With pure honesty she told him, "Thank you, Jinya-sama. For everything you have done."

He raised an eyebrow and smiled generously, "It was an honor."

She looked at the boat to her side. It was big. At least twenty feet long. Currently men were loading several crates onto the deck. Soon it would start its journey over the sea.

She glanced at the monk again, who stood in front of her gracefully. Some day she would repay him for his kindness, once when she returned to Narukami and took her seat as princess again. Not only had he presented her a new perspective on the war as well as the Crystal but had saved her and showed her kindness among hate, hope among misery.

With a nod towards him, she said, "You can leave now. From here on I will manage alone."

"I hope you will gain what you seek. Let me give you some last word before we part." A slight frown formed on his head and he continued, "The Crystal makes no difference between people of Tsuchimikado and Narukami, between lord or servant, merchant or farmer. It's the mother of us all. Men chose to fight. They forgot about the history of mankind, and how we are all descendants of the Crystal's child."

She felt the truth in his words as they poured into her soul reflecting on the core of her. This was the ideal she had feasted on when she started her journey, the belief she had grown up with and desperately clutched on, the moment she had called upon her courage to free the prisoners. With her head help up high, she told him, "They will remember and be united once again."

Without a sign of shame Jinya-sama bowed in front of her, surprising her to no end. Worried Mayura looked around if someone noticed this strange scene of a monk bowing to a commoner, but luckily no one seemed to pay them attention.

When the monk rose again, his eyes were filled with tears. He took a step towards her and whispered, "I must say, I admire your strength, Hime-sama."

Mayura gasped before closing her mouth with a smile. So he had known, who she really was, huh? She had a hunch but now she knew, that he had recognized her indeed. She was glad, that he did not question her motif and didn't force her to return to her home. She hoped, she wouldn't disappoint the trust she received, "Thank you, Jinya-sama, I was glad to have met you."

He nodded at her. "Be aware. Most of us follow the path of the Crystal. But there are those, who want to abuse its powers and take it for themselves."

"May the Crystal guide you," she said the words of departing and for the first time in her life, they truly came from heart.

"And you. I pray for your safe return." With that he turned around and walked away. Soon the sight of his dark robes was swallowed by the crowd at the harbor.

While she waited for the man, who she was supposed to meet, she thought about the things she had experienced on her travel so far. If it hadn't been for Jinya-sama, she would never have reached this step. She would make up to him by reaching on without him.

If she ever was to marry, she hoped, it would be a man like him – only of her age. A man she could trust. A kind man. A man, who was wise enough to look through things. A man, she could give her heart to without regret. Not a man she was forced to marry, but a man she wanted to marry. Someday she'd liked to meet that man.

For the first time it dawned on her, that she would meet her so called fiance at her destination. She wondered, what he was like. A kind man, her father had said, but too soft on the inside. Yet, coming from her father, this had to mean nothing. He said such things about most people, even if he thought highly of them.

However, calling off the engagement had grown into the smallest motif for her discussion with the feudal lord of Tsuchimikado. Bringing peace had been important to her before, but after her experience within the world outside the estate it had risen in significance.

She let her gaze shift to the sea.

Beyond the horizon lay her destination.

Tsuchimikado, the country her people had fought against for generations.

* * *

Luck seemed to be on his side.

Shimon had managed to get on the rowing boat unnoticed. Pushing it off of the shore, he felt his insides twist around again. He grabbed the paddles and started rowing. After a few tries, he understood, how he was supposed to use them.

One heave after another diminished the queasy feeling and he quickly made a few hundred inches. Now he had to head for Crystal Island. He only knew that it was supposed to parallel to the north eastern parts of Tsuchimikado. But he couldn't be certain he found it.

It was the most reckless thing, he had ever done. He could die out there on the sea, never reaching his goal.

For a moment he wondered, if the risk was worth it. But then the image of Sayo and Keiji smiling at him appeared in front of his inner eye.

It was.

It was worth it a hundred times.

Rising his eyes to the sky he looked for the position of the sun. It was on the left to him, still rising from the east. He tried to maneuver the boat with the paddles, until he was almost certain he had the right position.

That's when he heard a load yell from one of the fisher boats, "Hey!"

Not stopping to row, Shimon looked at the fisher standing on his boat and waving his hands.

"You there, stop!"

Shimon continued to row more energetically. When he looked up, he could see the other fishers standing on their boats now, too and trying to get the soldiers at the harbor to notice them.

And they did. More and more figures came running to the harbor. A few of them quickly drew their bows. Soon an arrow hit the sea right next him with a splash. Despite the distance between himself and the coast, it got dangerously close.

Another arrow soon followed, too fast to follow with the eye, it rushed down and buried its tip in the wood of the rim of his boat.

Anxiety rose within Shimon. If he didn't get farther away, he would surely die. Either being pierced by an arrow or by a pursuing boat.

With all his strength, Shimon pushed the boat forwards.

His arms started to burn already. He wouldn't have thought, that rowing was this exhausting.

Nevertheless he pushed against his limits. Rowing further and further away from the coast, out of the reach of the arrows raining down at him and breaking through the water's surface.

Another one hit the boat, directly in front of his feet, its peek sinking deep into the wood. Shimon continued to row.

He didn't give way to the exhaustion until he could hardly see the fisher boats and was out of reach of the rain of arrows. With burning muscles he slowed down the rowing.

So far he didn't see anyone who followed him.

And for a moment he wondered, why they didn't. But he couldn't engage himself with hypothetical thinking. He needed to get to the Crystal. And hopefully fast. If he stopped rowing, he would lean over the railing off the boat throwing up his guts. And so he rowed.

Hours seemed to pass while he rowed and rowed. He wasn't sure how much time passed. The sun stood high now and burned against his face. Hepulled his hood deeper over his head, despite the strong breeze that threatened to blow his hood off any moment.

He saw nothing but sea for a while.

Nothing on the left, nothing on the right. Nothing behind him but water.

Feeling hot and exhausted he asked himself, if it was possible for him to miss Crystal Island. If he could possibly ship by. What would he do, if he rowed and rowed and never see an island again? Wouldn't he reach the border of the Crystal's reach then? He heard people say, that beyond the Crystal's reach was nothing. That the people who were sent out to discover lands in the north of Crystal Island never returned because they fell out of the bubble surrounding the Crystal, falling into the real nothing.

Should he should pray to the Crystal for a safe trip or was it already too late?

He continued to drag the paddles pushing the water beneath the boat away, ignoring his numb growing arms and the pulling pain where his shoulders met his chest.

Sucking in greedy breaths, he felt air deprived.

Reluctantly he pulled the paddles out of the water.

The boat started to follow the rumble of the waves, swinging up and down. The wind had picked up a notch and was punching gusts of air and water against him.

Shimon leaned back and looked at the sky as his stomach started to feel uneasy again, replying to the up and down movements of the boat.

Just then he noticed the growing darkness on the sky behind him, as gray clouds quickly gathered to a huge roof unpierceable for the sun.

A storm was coming up.

This wasn't good.

Alarmed Shimon grabbed for the paddles and continued to row anew. This time as fast as he had when he tried to escape the rain of arrows.

Growling thunder cracked in the sky. Rising his head he saw, the clouds having become much more darker, crawling to a center in the sky like mots drawn to the flames.

He picked up the speed of the paddles pushing against the water another notch.

Annoyed he clicked his tongue. He needed to reach an island and he needed to do it as quickly as possible. Looking around he saw nothing.

Shimon's heart raced in his chest and he choked on sharp breaths through his teeth, due to the exertion at pulling onto the paddles with his weight, letting them rush through the water again and again.

Soon the sky above was dark as the water beneath, limiting his sight.

He continued to row in strong strokes, desperately fighting against the waves that pushed him along. They were heading towards the same direction, yet his boat threatened to fall to the side at every wave carrying it over the sea and breaking through the heaving surface, shoving his boat aggressively forward.

Fate was playing him. It was almost as if something wanted to keep him away from Crystal Island and shortly he wondered, if it was the Crystal itself, that kept him at bay.

Just when he had escaped the rain of arrows, he was steering into a new dangerous situation.

Yet, he hadn't time to brood about this.

He had to act fast.

Another feisty gust of wind slapped into face and tore his hood off of his face and against his lungs, which were burning to receive air.

Then the sky opened suddenly. Rain poured down merciless. Thousands of raindrops fell onto him. They felt cold and sharp, like needles of ice piercing the skin of his face.

It is said, that the heaven breaks open, every time the Crystal's first daughter weeps.

Now, he was taught the extreme of her sadness, he thought with some bitterness.

Unwavering he rowed, despite the strain on himself and the cold wind tearing at his skin and soaking his clothes in the spray of the rain.

He needed to find land. Now.

Another gust hit him, but this time it brought a wave along, that stumbled over the boat and washed down on him. Making him sputter on water and cling to the paddles. This one nearly would have killed him.

He coughed. His throat felt sour and rough and his lungs burned. He gasped for breath. His muscles felt frozen in burning pain at the freezing coldness of the water. When he finally had caught himself, he opened his eyes again.

A shocked gasp broke out of his tormented lungs at the sight of a wave towering over him.

The waves devouring him, were the last thing he saw.

* * *

They had driven for quite a while now. The island of Narukami had been swallowed by the horizon a long time ago and she wondered, how long it would take them to reach Tsuchimikado and opted to sneak a glance at the map but she didn't trust her fellow shipmates. Not that they threatened her but she was wary about them after her experiences so far with people outside of the well protected city of Narukami. She didn't want to loose the tiny rest of her belongings. Also they had looked at her oddly, when she'd boarded the ship. Maybe they had an idea, that she paid a lot for this trip to Tsuchimikado. Luckily nobody had said a thing and she wasn't found by the soldiers patrolling the harbor. Then again, they probably were as much wary of her as she was of them. After all they were violating the law.

Holding her hood over her head so the wind couldn't tear it off, Mayura stood at the railing watching the dark blue surface, ripped with lines of waves. Nothing but sea surrounded her. It seemed endless, spreading north, east, south and west to all sides, reaching over the horizon.

So this was it? This was the grand sea dividing the two lands of Tsuchimikado and Narukami? This was the place the Crystal rested in on a secluded island on which the armies of both countries fought against each other?

Mayura stood at the railing, overwhelmed by the sea, overwhelmed by her decision to see this through. Questions of doubt articulated themselves in her mind. Would she make it to Tsuchimikado without help? So far she had been granted help, she had neither expected nor thought she would need. Would she be able to continue her journey alone? Would she be able to negotiate new plans to end the war with Daimyo-sama, lord of Tsuchimikado? Would she return home safely? Would she bring shame or honor to her parents' house? Would she ever see them again?

She heard the sails stretching under the pressure of the wind. It had lost speed fighting against the waves, that were higher now than they had been at the coast of Narukami. Up ahead she saw the sky slowly darkening. She wondered, if a storm was upcoming. Not far away was a small isle they steered currently towards after having rounded a smaller one previously.

"Oi is it time now?", she heard one of the people on board ask. There weren't many. Just a captain and a few mates to set sail and raise or throw the anchor.

The hairs on her neck rose at the harsh tone of his whisper. She didn't dare to turn around and let him notice, that she'd heard them.

Another guy replied in a rough whisper, "Yes, take it from her and then throw her off."

Mayura's eyes widened.

Throw her off?

Did they mean her?

Shocked she stared ahead without seeing anything. She didn't move a muscle as she felt sweat of anxiety pouring down her temples. Her fingers urged to clutch the railing tighter. Her jaw clenched in concentration.

There was no other female on the boat, they must mean her.

She swallowed. The clump of fear in her throat refused to move down.

Steps on the wood grew louder, as someone approached her. Fear rippled through her and her arms shivered at its rush.

She wouldn't be able to defend herself. If they truly wanted to throw her off the boat, she had no chance to escape.

What could they possibly want?

The sound of footballs stomping on the wooden planks advanced.

Still she was rooted to the ground, with fear tormenting her mind. Nobody would help here, outside of Narukami. Hard she grit her teeth.

The only chance she would have, was if she revealed her identity, but this could also lead to her being send back.

What could she do?

All of a sudden she felt a strong grab on her arm.

She turned with a breathy gasp and tried to escape but the hold on her arm was too tight.

"There, there, don't struggle. It will be over soon." The man grinned at her showing a big hole within the row of his rotten teeth, releasing a disgusting smell.

"Let go of me!" Panic rose within her, when his grip tightened.

His other hand reached for her Yukata.

As if time slowed down, she watched his hand closing in to her chest. Tears rose to her eyes. 'Please, don't,' she pleaded in her head. Wouldn't anyone help her?

Please.

His hand reached inside the space between the drapes of her Yukata.

She sobbed, when she felt his calloused hands graze the bindings of her breasts.

Please. Somebody had to help her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, pressing out a fresh flow of tears. Feeling the fingers of the man sinking further into the confined space between her bound bosom and the material of her Yukata, she whimpered and tore at her arm in a last attempt to free herself. Yet the firm grasp on her arm did not diminish but grew only tighter..

Would he maltreat her?

Then she felt it. The grab onto the pouch she had hid within her clothes.

He wanted the money. The money she had sold the necklace for, which her mother had given her.

She stared at him, as he retrieved the object out. Loathing, disgust and hate formed in her heart. How could he take this from her? Had he have no shame? Her eyes spilled angry tears, leaving a hot trail over her cheek. Was this world filled with filthy people rotten to their core?

The man laughed. One of his eyelids quivered abnormally.

She detested his being. Furious she spat, "Unhand me, you scoundrel! Don't you have an idea, whom you're stealing from?"

He grinned and leaned forward, while fastening the pouch to his belt. "Oh? Who might you be, little girl?"

"The princess of Narukami!" She said rising her head high. He might take her money but he couldn't take her pride as the sole heir of Narukami.

The man burst out into laughing. His grip on her arm softened.

She used this distraction to pull back her arm but it was no use. She was too weak against the strength of a man who worked hard every day.

When he stopped rowing in laughter, he leaned once more into her face. The rotten breath was as revolting as his claim, "And I am the princess of Tsuchimikado."

He didn't believe her. What was she going to do now? Trying to reason with him, seemed to be out of question, yet she tried, "If I am not that person, why would I have this amount of money?"

"You stole it," he said like it was a matter of fact.

Mayura felt, as if she was slapped. How could he make such rude accusations? Shocked she replied, "I-I didn't!"

"You're nothing but another street rat," he said and bowed down, gabbing her by the hips and throwing her over his shoulders like a sack. "One I will get rid of now."

She tried to fight against him, as he took a few steps towards the railing. Punching her fists against his back and kicking her legs in midair. Again, it was no use.

A cold shower of panic rose within her chest and filled her mind, when he pushed her towards the railing. She came to face the waters beneath with the dark blue that was possibly going to be her grave. Terrified, she yelped, "Wait!"

He answered with another laugh. A laugh that blurred into the background as her ears started to ring, when she felt him loosening his grip.

Desperately she tried to grab onto something. But she couldn't. The buzz of fear, that tormented her grew louder. It felt as if her ears started to bleed. Her heart threatened to explode due its rage.

In the next moment, she fell over the railing and screamed. Breaking through the water's surface, her scream was muted to a bubbling as water entered her mouth and throat.

Pain.

Pain enveloped her. The freezing cold water burned into her body as thousands of needles and she fought down her instinct to gasp.

In panic she kicked water. The need to survive made fight against the agony clutching on her entire being. She was scared to be pulled down.

She tried to resist it, tried to stop drifting deeper. Struggled to get to the surface, which glowed in a bright shine.

After what felt like an eternity she reached the surface. She gasped for air, when her head was over the water.

Too greedy. She coughed, when her lungs convulsed painfully. Caught in a battle of harsh breaths and painful caughs, she kicked the water. Her limbs grew numb.

She squinted an eye open and whelped, when she saw the ship was far from her.

Would she die here alone? In the harsh sea? Hot tears burned against the cold sea water. Scared and anguished she turned around and saw the isle, the had passed earlier. It wasn't far away but she wasn't sure she had the strength to get there.

Yet, she needed to try.

Her sandals swam at the surface. She had not noticed them being ripped from her feet. She grabbed for them and tried her best to swim towards the island.

Fighting against the waves, Mayura kicked water. Every movement was exhausting. She was sure, she would soon collapse. She was approaching the isle. But tortuously slow. The fear to die clutched her more tightly the more she struggled.

Her hissing breaths grew sharper. She felt like she got no air. Hyperventilating her attempts at kicking the water grew less powerful. She felt tired. Her lungs ached.

She got no air.

A new stream of tears flew down her cheeks. She was dying. She would die out on the sea. Captured in the cold water prison for an eternity. She would never see her parents again. She would not lead Narukami to peace. She was an useless existence. A huge disappointment wearing the name of Amawaka.

All of a sudden she heard a whisper, caressing her heart and filling her with warmth. A smooth voice, soothing and tenderly like a mother whispered to her, "Daughter of Amawaka, Princess of Narukami, don't surrender."

Where was this voice coming from? It bathed her heart and soul in warmth like a gentle mother's touch.

Looking around she could see nobody but the isle lying in front of her and the seemingly endless mass of water.

Now she noticed. Her breathing was coming out in calm waves and her body felt light and warm. Could this possibly be... the Crystal's powers Jinya-sama had talked about?

Encouraged Mayura started to swim anew. As if she was carried on an invisible ship, she now quickly crossed the distance between herself and the isle. The current had grown weaker against her strong strides.

When she crawled on the sand over the bay, she felt fatigued but all so relieved to have survived.

With a moan she let her body fall down into the bed of sand. Her arms and legs burned from the exhaustion. Gasping for breath, she lay there, not moving a muscle until she felt her lungs slowly recovered from the strain of those burning, harsh breaths.

Rising her head she looked at a beach, rimed with trees and bushes, standing on a rising hill. Where was she? This couldn't be Crystal Island, could it?

Retrieving out for the scroll sticking between her yukata and obi, she shifted her body to the side. Unrolling the map, she felt relief pinching her chest, when she saw that the ink was only slightly blurred but still readable. Now she saw the smaller islands beneath Crystal Island. She remembered, that the had shipped past one on the right-hand-side. This had to be one of the isles closer to Tsuchimikado. Yet she didn't remember which one. Had they driven past another isle? She tried to remember her position in the ocean. The direction she had swam and the one the ship had taken but she wasn't sure.

Looking to the sky, she sought for the sun but only saw clouds, that had even more darkened the sky. From afar she noticed the crackling of thunder.

She had no idea, where exactly she was. All she knew was, that this was neither Tsuchimikado nor Narukami nor Crystal Island. This was most likely one of the deserted islands, that were in line of the war zone. And it was very likely, that nobody lived here.

Mayura let her body sink into the sand again. What was she going to do now? She had no means to get off of this isle. Would she die out here?

Tears flew down her face. It was all because of these people, that had robbed her and thrown her off their ship. It seemed that she had yet to see the darkest corners of what men were able to do. Why was this world so filthy? How come people were able to do something like this without a bad consciousness?

She felt like never getting up anymore. She wanted to lie here and do nothing. All her spirits and thoughts of determination and hope had been washed away in the previous fight against the waves.

And she did for a while, until the storm reached her. The wind picked up and cooled down her clothing even more. She would die out here, frozen to death, if she didn't find shelter.

Grabbing for her will to survive, she lifted her body of the ground and put on her sandals. Looking around just seeing trees and sand. Nobody else.

Walking towards the woods, she hoped the trees would protect her. Crouching down next to a tree with a huge crown, Mayura waited again. Waited for the uprising storm to reach this island, waited for the rain falling down, waited for the exploding thunder and the strikes of lightening between the bushes and waited for the storm to subside again, all the while wondering, what she was going to do. Hunger and thirst started to distract her more and more. She knew one shouldn't drink ocean water, but what else could she quench her thirst with? She remembered. She remembered, where she had learned this. It was within a story, Arata-san had told her, in which the hero warned the maiden of drinking water from the ocean. The next thing he did was to climb upon a hill to look for a river. The fictions had helped her once. Maybe they would be right on something else yet again.

Like the description in the story she climbed the hill but saw no river. She saw nothing because of the trees surrounding her. She walked down the hill and ended up in a meadow. A meadow in which the noise of flowing water reached her ears. A relieved huff broke out of her and with hope and desperation fighting the back of her head, she walked towards the source of the noise.

Her steps froze, when she noticed the bushes beside her suddenly rustling. Slowly she turned to her head to the side. Her breaths stumbled after one another harshly. Her chest heaved yet another wave of panic. When she looked towards the direction of the noise, she came face to face with a hooded figure, hidden in the shades of the trees. Beneath the cape wetly plastered to its owner, she could see blue eyes starring at her. They burned like the freezing touch of ice.

Her eyes widened in horror as the figure broke through the woods and walked towards her. She saw the handle of a katana, lurking beneath the coat.

She took a quick step back.

"Who are you?" The baritone voice that came from the figure caressed her ears and made her wonder, how this man, could have a voice like this and being at the same time a threat to her. Invading the sunlight, the figure gained colors and what she saw beneath the cape weren't the colors of a soldier of Narukami. Instead of the dark blue, she was used to see from her homeland, a vermilion red grinned at her. She gasped. He was a Tsuchimikado soldier.

Shocked she backed away. The heel her right foot connected to something. Surprised she fell to the ground and onto to her rear. Her bottom hurt and the pain traveled to her spine.

When the shock ebbed away, she looked ahead and saw nothing but two pair of legs standing in front of her.

Was this it? Was this how her path will end? Killed by a stranger on a small island in the nothing of the sea. She squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the final strike. She tried not to whimper, as fear rolled through her like a quake. She buried her fingers into the earth beneath her and waited. Her own huffed breaths drowned the fierce beat of her heart.

Yet, nothing happened. Irritated she wondered, why. Carefully she rose one lid and in her field of sight was a hand held out for her.

* * *

A/N: Okay, this was a long time coming and I don't mean the unplanned hiatus only. XD Let me know, how you liked it. Was it too predictable? Was it surprising? And how do you like them being stranded on a deserted isle?


	7. 6

A/N: Okay guys, I have a confession to make: This chapter is not proof-read. It's freakishly long and took me hours on end to write. Call me lazy but I just trust that I don't have that many in it. If you find something, I would be utterly grateful, if you'd write me what you've found. Anyway, have fun reading as always!^^

Now to the reviews. I usually replied in PMs but maybe there is something there that will answer questions of others:

FieryPrincess2063: Thank you for your kind words!^^ Although I kinda feel like I have to defend Mayura. XD She actually is smart but has no idea of the world. Death and all the things we find scary were more common in medieval times but Mayura was a sheltered princess until she chose to leave her realm. She only knows the things she learned from reading or the things people told her. The common sense you mean is a phenomena from nowadays. We grow up with news and our parents commenting on it or warning us to not take candy from strangers or tell us we should return home till the sun sets. Mayura is a person that hadn't had all this. She was never allowed to go outside in the first place. She wasn't warned from the harms outside because there was no need. She'd only met people who were nice to her because she is the princess. And I don't think visitors would have told her from the terrifying things outside. The only one who would have told her all this things, namely Seigen, was absent during those years he could have taught her. So, I agree she needs more common sense. But she has already learned and she learns more and more of the world outside. Hope that will change your point of view on her. But thank you for your advice. It made me remember to focus more on her character development in this chapter!^^

fluffyfurballs: Yeah... It was harsh on Mayura but that's reality and she needs to see it. :P I'm sorry the update took so long. Can't say how often I'll be able to update but I won't abandon this fic 'cause I love the story. Hope the surpising meeting was to your liking.^^  
And yes! Now the true fun begins. Making them fall in love. It will be a bumpy road. So much I can say. XD Thank you for your review!

Clau aka Torahime97: A f*** storm happened! XD Lol. Thank you for your review. And yes, everyone guessed of course correctly. It's Shimon! Yay!^^ Don't worry your review wasn't hasted. I love every review, especially if it comes from friends.

Nualie: Thank you very much!^^ I think, I love the first chapter the most. It was so much fun to set them off on their journey. And *cough*, an error-free story is a pipe dream without editor. :P

 **6**

He had been stolen from, abducted, he had slept in hay next to horses and then this: He was shipwrecked.

When he had come to his senses, he'd sputtered water. His body jerked from the extreme coughs leaving his lungs. His body had calmed down after a while and he had lied back on the sand, regulating his breathing.

In the end he'd found himself on the coast of an isle. And he hadn't had much luck in what an isle it was. It wasn't Crystal Island., not the place he had originally planned to arrive at.

After checking, if everything was in place – at least the leash on his sword hadn't sprung open and only his pack was missing now but he hadn't much left inside it anyway – he had realized his situation. Despite himself he had wanted to punch something. He had no boat, no livestock and no tool to get either one.

At the very beginning of his journey had he failed. All he could do was wait for the search parties to find him, if he wouldn't be starved to death by then or dried up.

What was it that seemed to mess with his plan so vigorously? Was it fate or was it the Crystal itself that hindered him in seeking fulfillment of his quest?

If the Crystal denied him success, how could he even dream about succeeding?

All of these thoughts had tormented him for a while, until he had forced himself to get a grip. This was no situation in which he as a proud prince of Tsuchimikado should waver. He had to act. He had to do something. And so he had planned to search the island for water, for food and hopefully the means to leave this island.

Fortunately he had reached a stream very fast. But he couldn't believe, what he had found there. A girl. A shy girl in clothes of a commoner, backing away from him, when her gaze fell onto his clothes. It was it obvious that she wasn't from Tsuchimikado. And it made him wonder, why she was here on this godforsaken isle.

Like Seigen-dono she didn't match the picture Narukami people were described with either. She had no pointy teeth and judging her scared gasps he figured, she had no shrill voice like a rusty saw. From what he could see, she was pretty. Prettier than average girls. Big, sea blue eyes stared at him in horror, when she had fallen to her butt. Her clothes were wet and clinging to her body, her hair was also wet and plastered to her head. It seemed particular though as it was two colored, a damp darkened blond fading into green. And he had the nagging feeling, that she reminded him of somebody but he couldn't place it.

He had stretched out a hand to help her up and show her, that he meant no harm. Something struck him as odd, when her soft hand touched the palm of his but he could not place it. Instead of thinking too much about it, he turned away after he had helped her to her feet and went to the river to take a sip.

Guarded behind some bushes she had followed him. He felt her gaze on his back, when he bowed down.

"Who are you?" A soft voice asked.

He'd thought, her voice war far off from sounding like a rusty saw. It was more like a melodious harp. He wondered, if it was truly less dangerous though. Finishing drinking first, he made no haste. It gave him time to think about, what to tell her. He couldn't say he was the prince of Tsuchimikado. Letting her think, he was a simple warrior was enough. But if he told her his name would she know?

Rising off the ground, he turned to her. She still stood behind him, half of her was covered by the trunk of a tree. He noticed now, despite her yukata being damp, that it was not the clothing of a commoner but a lower class maiden, maybe a servant of a noble house or a simple maid. Pulling back the hood weighing down on his head, he responded to her earlier question, "I could ask you the same."

"But I-," she stuttered at first before she very quickly, caught herself, "I asked you first."

They locked gazes. None of them wavered or backed away. They wouldn't get farther like this and he had no power right now to command her. Giving in to her request, he stemmed a hand into his hips. "Fine. I am a warrior from Tsuchimikado."

"That is obvious. What is your name? What are you doing here?"

"I am shipwrecked. I was caught by the storm earlier. My boat must have crashed into a cliff."

She squeezed her eyes closer together until they were slits crying out with suspicion. "You haven't told me your name."

Admittedly, she was a quick thinker. He had to give her that but he wouldn't tell her much more about him until he knew a bit more about her. "Enough of me for now, who are you?"

"I don't think I am entitled to tell you."

Annoyed he clicked his tongue. He had been stolen from, abducted, he had slept in hay next to horses. He had been shipwrecked. And now this: He was talking to a hard headed girl from Narukami, wasting his time, he could do something useful instead of playing a verbal game of tag. "I told you who I am, yet know nothing about you. Common manners tell me, that you owe me."

Something wavered in those big orbs of sea blue and Shimon felt like he was swallowed once by a sea while staring into them. He broke the eye contact and pulled back the hood weighing heavy on his head. After a while he heard her reply, "I am Mayura."

His eyes widened and his head snapped back to her. He had heard this name before and only once. Seigen-dono's daughter, the princess of Narukami was called like this. Quickly he asked and stepped towards her, "What is your second name?"

She frowned at him but nevertheless replied, "Otomi. My name is Otomi Mayura."

It figured. It was a stupid idea anyway to believe that the princess of Narukami would be on an island in the nowhere. She was probably sheltered in the Amawaka estate celebrating the comeback of her father and the upcoming wedding. The girl in front of him, however, must have been simply named after the princess to honor her. "I see. It seems common to name children after the sovereign family members in Narukami as well."

Worry colored the sea of her eyes into a darker shade. She stepped aside, hiding more from her body behind the trunk. "What makes you think I am from Narukami?"

He wondered, if she realized, that she had proven this now to be a fact and watched her. He couldn't blame her to be wary of him. If he truly had been a warrior, he wouldn't have wasted a second to slaughter her.

Her eyes didn't change but the way she chewed onto her lips now, he was certain, she must have figured it out herself. This girl was sharp, even if fear clouded her mind. He thought about changing the subject to soothe her nerves. "I thought, I was the only one on this island. And now I found a damsel in distress."

"I am no damsel in distress," shot out of her like an arrow leaving a bow.

"But you are a damsel," he said matter of factly, surprised at the outburst of a mere maid at being called a name. Surely, she had to be used to it.

Yet, she puffed a cheek, obviously dissatisfied and strangely less concerned about their situation than her dignity all of a sudden, "I don't like being called like that."

Shimon leaned his head to the side and continued to state the facts, ignoring her ridiculous call of pride, "And you are shipwrecked which means you are in distress?"

"And what about you?"

He raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to continue. Behind them the patter of the lake swallowed the noises, shutting them in.

She raised her chin while holding onto one of her arms and circled the tree. "Your boat crashed into the cliff just as mine did. What does that make you?"

He blinked his eyes in surprise. Pride and wit were two things he did not expect of a maid. Dryly he replied, "Fair point."

The frown on her face smoothed down.

Nobody said a thing and they eyed each other. They were two strangers on a deserted isle. Two strangers belonging to different countries which were sworn enemies. The only thing they had in common was the first. So it was wise to ignore the latter.

They needed to get off this island somehow. Although he guessed the answer, he asked her, "Do you know how to craft a boat?"

She looked at him as if he had grown a second head and drawled, "No~."

"Neither do I. I don't even have tools," he explained.

Thinking about what they weren't able to do, wouldn't help them. Instead they needed to figure out what they could do and that was trying to survive until someone came to their rescue or they found a way to leave this island.

First of all Shimon needed to make sure he wouldn't catch a cold. He needed to get out of the wet clothes. Although he did not like to strip in front of a woman for the first time, it was a necessity. And so he started to lay down his armor and wet clothes.

He had just unfastened the belt holding his katana and was now busy with one of his bracer, when he heard the girl next to him yelp, "What- What are you doing?"

He raised his gaze to her and found her face to be beat red. Pride, dignity, wit and now modesty? What was wrong with this girl?

"My clothes are wet. They need to dry," he replied. Looking at her again, he remembered that she was wet from head to toe herself and added, "I suggest you to do the same."

If possible her face grew redder. She spluttered, "No way, I would undress in front of the likes of you."

The likes of him? He couldn't help but feel insulted. She had no idea who he was but a maid who thought herself to be higher than a warrior was absurd. What was this girl thinking? He looked at her from the corner of his eyes. Her eyes weren't wavering like the sea but were solid as iron now. Her arms were folded in front of her body protectively. What a strange girl, indeed. He sighed and chose to leave this uncommented. Turning away again, he said, "Fine. Do as you want." Then he dropped down his Jin-Baori to the ground.

* * *

Had this man – this boy – no shame?

Mayura turned away, feeling deeply embarrassed even if she wasn't the one who was undressing themselves right now. She placed her hands to her face, trying to cool it down, while pushing the idea of a man undressing next to her out of her head.

But she couldn't ignore it. The sound of leather groaning at its relief pierced to her ears, drowning the rustle of the water next to them. She leaned her back against the trunk being reminded of her state of dress by the sharp edges of the texture pressing against her softened skin.

She wished, she could be as bold as him. The wet clothes clung to her body and itched. Furthermore she was getting colder and colder at every stroke of wind. She wanted to get rid of them, too. But as a noble maiden and especially as the female princess of Narukami she would loose her honor if she'd undress in front of a man before marriage. Her honor would be tainted, if she saw a naked man, too. This situation was dangerous for her dignity and she couldn't help but feel angry at the man who was responsible for all of this. (1)

From the moment they've met this man had scared her, aggravated her and now he was embarrassing her deeply.

Yet, she had to admit, she was grateful he meant no harm. Laying down his weapons and armor meant, he didn't aim to kill her, although he was aware she was from Narukami.

She had been shocked and deeply scared, when he had revealed this knowledge. After she had told him her name, she had been wary about his reaction – something she had not foreseen at all – and was quick enough to give him her mother's maiden name, recovering from the wonder she felt at the sight of his hair, a dark red which might be scarlet or almost pinkish if dry. Never had she seen a color like this before crowning a head. It was as striking as the icy color of his eyes. Odd but mesmerizing.

His interest for her name explained itself, when he stated that it was a common tradition to call your child after the sovereign's heir. But instead of attacking her and butcher her or whatever soldier's of Tsuchimikado do to Narukami people he had called her a damsel in distress. She had been totally forgotten about her fear thanks to the insult. And now she wondered, if he had done it on purpose. Was he playing nice to make her lower her defenses? No, that made no sense. He had a sword and armor. She visibly had only her yukata. If he'd wanted to kill her, he could have done it easily by now. Maybe he was just a lout, calling women names. It was not uncommon with soldiers. Mayura had witnessed this once, when she walked up on a soldier pushing one of the maid's of the Amawaka house into a corner.

The sound of cloth rubbing against cloth startled her out of her tray of thoughts. Without thinking she looked into the direction and saw the Tsuchimikado soldier pulling away his shitagi (2) and uncovering a bare chest beneath. The fire in her cheeks aflamed anew and she snapped her head away from the sight. Never before had she lain eyes on a bare male figure. It was shameless to do so and now she had lost a part of her dignity, thanks to a stranger from another country. How much honor would she loose on her trip to end the war?

Worse than having been disgraced was her curiosity about the male figure. All she had seen on one sight was that the armor had been gone and only the shitagi and hakama were left. The shape beneath looked so different from female bodies. She had figured they had looked different by the form of male bodies, of course. The proof was nothing like her imagination though. Where women were soft, men looked to be hard.

She swallowed deeply. Her head felt like it would explode. What was she thinking?

The thud on the ground made her flinch. She looked again and saw the soldier naked from his head to he stomach. Right now he reached out for the belt of his hakama. With a creaky voice she yelled, "Leave them!"

He stopped moving, his fingers clutching the belt. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Pardon?"

"L-leave them on," she stuttered, more ashamed than she'd ever felt and turned her gaze away, focussing on the ground in front of his feet. With a small voice she added, "Please."

When he didn't say a thing, she looked up again and spotted him, collecting the pieces of his clothing, he'd discarded, with his pants on. Interested she watched him bend. His shoulders were broader than hers, his arms looked carved with a lot of nicks and curves more defined than her's.

Mayura swallowed hard when the heat of her face seemed to be sucked into her abdomen. But instead of the blaring fire, this smoldering warmth pooled nicely yet disturbingly beneath her stomach.

She watched him hanging his clothes onto lower branches and observed how the muscles beneath his skin stretched and bend.

 _Curiosity. Nothing but curiosity_ , she told herself. The harm was already done, with seeing him like this. It didn't hurt to study him now.

When he'd finished hanging his last piece of clothing and pulled out the blade of his sheath. Horror ran through her veins, freezing her. Was he going to kill her now? With keen attention, she watched him as he wiped the blade on his wet trousers, before putting it on the ground with a scowl. Her heart still threatened to burst out of her chest, when he turned towards her again.

She jerked her head aside, feinting disinterest and hoping he had not noticed her staring. She swallowed heavily and took a deep breath to soothe down her nerves. He wasn't going to slaughter her. Well at least for now. Even if he'd lowered his weapon, she must not forget, he was a threat by simply being closer to snatch the katana than herself.

"Listen," he said suddenly, startling her out of her inner monologue, "for now the odds for us to survive are higher, if we stay together. First we need to make arrangements to survive. That means we need food and a fire for the night."

Turning towards him again, she saw him facing her fully. She tried to ignore her interest for the solid looking structure of his chest and the warmth which rose in her cheeks again. It was irritating. And that added to her uncomfortable clothing made her cranky. "Who gave you the command?"

"Do you have a better idea?" He simply asked, looking also serious.

She swallowed. No, she hadn't. And what was worse she could think of nothing clever to reply. She wasn't used to receive commands. So much she'd mistaken a suggestion as one. Defeated she shook her head.

For all what it was worth, he was right. They needed to work together to survive on this island. Maybe they could built a boat to get off the island or find another way or maybe they would manage to survive long enough until someone found them. Yet, she refused to trust him completely. He was still the most dangerous thing on this island. Her previous encounters on her journey had proven to her not to trust strangers easily. Except Jinya-sama every person, she'd met had solidified this.

"First we should look for some food." He took a few steps further into the woods.

She leaned over and supporting her weight onto her arms and detected him standing beside a bush with needles and flaming pink berries, which weren't entirely closed around the seed. They reminded Mayura about something. The boy leaned closer in on the bush, spreading his hands towards the enticing looking fruits. "What about these berries?"

A thought instantly thundered through her head, when she recognized the deadly bush and recalled its most important property: _Poisonous_. "Wait! Don't touch them!" She stumbled onto her feet and ran towards him. Grabbing his arm, she pulled at him to get him away from this plant.

"Why?" He asked behind her, letting her drag him away.

"They are poisonous. Everything about this plant is poisonous. One mouthful of these berries can kill a horse." She came to a stop and let go of him. Facing him she was welcomed by his frown.

"How do you know?"

"I've read about them in a book called _Botany of Foreign Regions_. The plant is called _yew_ and is highly dangerous," she explained.

"You are able to read?"

"I-I am," she answered stupefied. What was with his sudden interest in her education? She has saved his life, hasn't she? Why was he making her feel uncomfortable again?

He simply stared at her. She felt like he wanted to dig a hole into her head with his eyes, before he finally asked, "Are you really a commoner?"

Blinking her eyes, it was an understatement to say, she was surprised. When she caught herself, she asked, "I've saved your life and that's all you're interested in?"

He still stared. One eyebrow slightly risen in suspicion.

She crossed her arms but rose her chin. "What about you? You're a soldier? But you don't know, how to survive?"

He tore his gaze away and looked into the direction of the yew. After a while, he said with a low voice, "I've never come across berries like these."

Something was odd. Mayura rose her eyebrows. She had accused him with spite. Now she was wary about his little knowledge of nature. "They grow almost everywhere."

He still looked away from her, into the woods, "We get food rations daily. I've never had to look out for food."

That made sense, actually. It might not be wise to challenge a soldier when she had so little knowledge of the world herself. She had no idea, how soldiers lived, especially if they were from a foreign country. Mayura sighed. They were getting nowhere with this subject of conversation. "Anyway. What now?"

Not deigning to look at her, the soldier turned around and faced the river again. "I could try to catch some fish and you could light a fire."

Shocked, she spluttered, "Me?"

"Yes." And with that he walked towards the river.

Mayura huffed. Light a fire. But how? She wondered, if she should follow him and ask him. But he was suspicious of her already. Besides she did not want to loose the last rest of her dignity. Although she couldn't say how much was left with her clothes all wet and wrinkly. She did not want to know how her hair looked. So, no, she wouldn't ask him.

Yet, it couldn't be that complicated right? For fire you need wood. And so she walked around and started collecting twigs and small branches. Most of them were wet and slippery. So she hugged them close to her clothes.

She tried to remember, if she'd read something somewhere about starting a fire and she recalled again a story in which Abe no Seimei had saved a woman from the river and set a fire for her. He had used straw, a twig and a stone. It had to do something about the friction of the twig spun on the stone that lit the flame. When she felt, she couldn't carry anymore she returned to the spot, where the strange soldier had stripped earlier. With bitterness she thought that real life was not the same as in the fiction. No samurai had come for her rescue. Instead she had met a soldier, that insulted her pride and honor and was a constant danger to her life. Real persons weren't as they were in stories of heroes and beautiful maiden.

Mayura glanced fleetingly at his belongings, while holding the pile of sticks, when she felt a jolt at an idea that formed in her head. The blade. It lay before her on the ground. Now she was closer to the weapon. She held her breath as she looked at the object. Its guard sported the same color as the Tsuchimikado uniform. Its handle was wrapped with untarnished stripes of black leather. Its blade glinted in the sunlight. It was sublime, looking beautiful and being lethal.

Mayura swallowed and switched her gaze into the direction of the river. The red haired soldier stood in the river with his legs apart, bend down and his hands hovering over the water surface and was paying her no attention. She could take the weapon. Then she would have the upper-hand, she could even stab him, if he would he attack her. She could even kill him right now, making sure he wouldn't come first. But that idea disturbed her. Was she able to end a life? Would she be able to plunge the sharp sword deep into his flesh in order to kill? Releasing a shaky breath she dropped the pile of sticks and bend down to gain possession of the blade.

Another glance into his direction confirmed that he had not taken notice of her actions yet. Reaching out with a trembling hand, she hold her breath again. The closer her hand got the more she felt frightened. Wielding a sword meant wielding a power. A power of which likes she had never came in contact before.

She licked her lips and gazed yet again at the soldier, unconscious of the current situation. And then she came to a realization that hit her hard and made her hand drop: He was trusting her. He was trusting her not to take his blade and kill him on the spot. Why? Wasn't he wary as her as she was of him?

Maybe she should trust him a bit more. Not completely, just a bit. Yet, she felt the situation to be unfair. As long as one would hold the blade the other would be in danger. Perhaps she should dispose it, so the weighs would be equal on both their sides. Setting her eyes on the blade again, she discarded the idea. That would most certainly anger the soldier and while being unarmored he was still physically stronger and able to strangle her to death. No, this wouldn't help her at all at balancing their danger towards each other. But what would?

Unsurely she looked towards the sheath of the katana lying next to the belt. And then she spotted something. There was something next to belt, looking silvery. She leaned closer to it and recognized the shape of a dagger. Compared to the katana it looked old, rusty and not even half as deadly. Nevertheless it was a weapon.

Her heart beat accelerated as her fingers enclosed themselves around the handle of the dagger. Quickly she pulled it towards her body and held it to her chest. Nibbling on her lips she once more looked towards the soldier who in that moment shot his arms forward into the water.

Mayura suppressed a gasp at the spontaneous movement. She watched him swiftly retrieve his hands and throw something onto the river bank. A fish wriggled vigorously there, jumping up and down on its spot. Her eyes skipped back to the boy in the river and she spotted the promise of a smile adorning his lips. She felt a jolt in the spine of her back and quickly tore her gaze off from the soldier.

Her chest felt heavy, when she hid the dagger beneath her yukata. She did what she had to do. To ensure her own survival. That's what she told herself and tried to believe as she rearranged the sticks to a more compressed pile. At least the weighs were more outbalanced for now.

After a while she had everything in place and was ready to try making fire, when she all of a sudden heard him calling, "Not here. Make it at the beach. Some boat might see and come help us."

She looked at him and rose to her feet. He stood where and how he had been for a whole while but instead of looking at the water, his eyes met hers. The strength of his gaze made her feel small. How could a simple soldier have so much impact on a princess? She lowered her eyes to the river bank, on which the fish had lost its battle to survive.

The plan of his would be a nice one. There was just the question of who might find them. And she had seen, what strangers did to people, they did not know. She wasn't sure, she wanted to have the attention of anyone but soldiers of Narukami. Taking a few steps towards him, she asked, "What if they don't come to help us? What if they come to rob us or something else?"

"Then we would have to fight," he stated, as if it was a common thing. Having been raised as a soldier, he probably had no idea that there weren't people who did not know how to fight. She rose a fist to her chest and took a deep breath. Her first impulse was to tell him but she feared the consequences of confessing her weakness. Instead she nodded at him and collected the sticks once again and made her way towards the beach, looking at the stranger in the river no more.

* * *

Embers flew from the twisting stick.

Mayura blinked her eyes in surprise. In the next instant she rolled the stick with much more vigor between the palms of her hands.

So far Mayura had learned two things: First of all, a fire is damn hard to make. Second, if an action of a story was told, it probably was never the accurate time it actually takes. While the scene had taken only a while, lightening the fire had taken almost the rest of the day. The sun stood low by now and Mayura blew on the little flame that slowly consumed the straw and hugged the much more drier twigs. She hoped this time it would cause them to burn. The last three attempts had been futile. And she had to go grab new straw to try it again, which hadn't been easy thanks to the shower of rain today. Her knees hurt. Her hands hurt more; having bled from so many cuts and grazes. Very early on her task, she had ripped off the bandage that Jinya-sama had bound around her hand where she had hammered splinters into it. It was no comparison to the cuts and rubbed of skin that were covering her hands now. Especially on the hand that had been wrapped into the wet clothing making it sensitive to the exposure and easy for the friction to pull off skin. Nevertheless Mayura had not given up. She wanted to prove to herself and the stranger uphill that she was able to do this. Never would she give him the satisfaction of seeing that she couldn't do it, that she was worthless. Never would she give evidence to the small voice in her head, calling herself useless. Never.

This time it had to work. Commanding the fire to burn, she stared at the little flames until they spread over the twig onto another. Was it truly working now? Had she managed to make a fire?

She stared a while longer until she heard a crackle of the fire, bursting one of the twigs as it's blackened skin cracked open.

Mayura blinked in wonder. Did this mean - ?

Her lips twitched upwards as she watched the flame grow faster and faster by each blink of an eye. She did it! The Crystal be praised! She had managed to make fire!

A high pitched giggle shook her body. Satisfied and giddily by the joy of her accomplishment she sat and stared as the force of nature ate away old and cast off twigs. Mayura gave it more to feed adding more of the collected wood to the flames. A dark screen of smoke rose from the fire and enveloped her. Coughing she crawled out of the wind direction. She blinked her slightly burning eyes until they stopped to produce tears and continued to watch the fire consume the wood.

She had no idea how long she had stared at the fruits of her work but the sun almost kissed the horizon. And all the while blue eyed, red haired fish catching soldier of Tsuchimikado with a deadly blade had not returned. What was taking him so long? Had he pulled a trick on her? Did he actually have a boat and was now returning to his homeland or Crystal Island?

The later one seemed unlikely, given the fact, that he had been wet from head to toe similar to her. Yet, the silence and tranquility around her, made her feel lonely and insecure. There was no sound except for the cracking of the fire in front of her and the rush of the waves behind her. She wouldn't have thought silence could be such a scary thing. She never had experienced this kind of silence. At the estate there always had been a lot of people. Here on this island there was no one. She wouldn't admit it out loud but she would be glad for the company of the soldier. Even if she did not know if she could trust him, it would be better than having to deal with this dead silence. Coldness showered over her and made the hair on her arms rise. She was getting restless moment by moment.

With a sigh she decided, that she should not wait. Even if she was hungry, it would not accelerate the speed of his reappearance. But what could she do?

Her gaze fell to her hands being folded onto her knees. They were bloody and dirtied with soil and parts of the twigs. She should wash them, but with the upcoming darkness she did not wish to enter the darkened woods in front of her. Instead she rose to her feet and walked a few feet to the sea. Kneeling down in front of the wet sand where the water did not reach she held out her hands and waited for the water to wash over them.

It came fast. When it hit her hands, Mayura hissed in pain. It burned. It burned so much. Tears were rising to her eyes. She hadn't thought it would feel like this. Her lips quivered but she did not pull her hands away but hold her breath and bit her lips. She waited for the water to wash over her hands a few more times. The more often it did the less it burned and after five or six times, her hands looked much cleaner. They throbbed in a numbed pain when she was done.

She pulled them away from the water and looked up. The sun painted the sea and the sky in beautiful colors. A pinkish orange. It made her remember the times she would watch the sun fall beneath the hill of the Amawaka estate, sometimes together with her mother or Rokuro but most of the times alone, dreaming of the world behind the horizon. How silly had she been. How ungrateful for the things she had, for the carefree life she'd lived.

Her throat started to convulse. She thought about her journey, thought about the things she'd done and that were done to her. How she had been stepped on, robbed. How she had sold the one thing that connected her to home. How she had been pushed around, robbed again and thrown off a ship to die. And then all dams loosened and she cried loudly. She wheeled into the silence until her throat made no sound again. And then she silently wept. She wondered if this world was even worth saving. She wondered, if the people in it did deserve the fate they seemed to love so much to follow that they forgot kindness and compassion. She continued to cry and sob until her throat and stomach hurt, until the corners of her mouth felt numb and her eyes burnt as much as her hands did.

* * *

Where was the blonde girl?

Shimon had found the fire she'd made after what seemed to be half of an eternity of walking straight towards the lowering sun, which was blinding him and shielding the sight of the fire. It had taken him longer to catch a satisfying amount of fishes than he'd anticipated. At least he had five fishes which were pierced by the sticks he was carrying. But when he'd finally arrived at the fireplace the girl with the deep blue eyes – Mayura, Mayura was she called, same as the Narukami princess – was nowhere to be seen.

He'd opted to search for her. But chose against it. It was already late, so instead of searching he'd started grilling the fishes, plunging the sticks into the ground next to the fire. Perhaps the girl had personal businesses to attend to. Also he was sure, she'd come back. The fire she'd made was proof to that. She wouldn't abandon it. Even if she was scared of him or wanted to kill him. Well, later one would certainly be another reason to return. Although he hoped it wasn't the case but after seeing that she'd purloined his dagger, it was an option. He was surprised at first, suspicious at second and understanding at last, when he'd returned to his mostly dried clothing. She also had the chance to steal his katana. But she didn't. Either she thought he wouldn't notice the theft – which he didn't believe in given her obvious wit in their earlier conversations – or she wanted to have some leverage against an armored warrior.

He understood the reasoning. Even if he had been friendly it was wise to have a weapon against a warrior from the enemy county. Shimon would need to show her, that he truly meant no harm. On the contrary. He meant, what he'd said. Their chances for survival would be higher, if they worked together. Yet, he had no idea how he would show her that he was trustworthy.

As he was thinking about her, he recalled their earlier encounter. She had made him feel like scum when he had undressed. It wasn't his favorite thing to do but necessary. He had had no choice. But when he did, she'd yelled at him to leave his trousers on, as if she'd never seen an undressed man. Surely she had to had wash the back of her master, hadn't she? Why was she reacting like this?

Leaning towards the fire he grabbed the stick in front of him above the sand and twisted it. The skin of the the fish was roasted into a shiny gold and cracked open where he'd scratched it by accident when he'd scaled the fishes. Another process that had taken him longer than he would have expected. The truth of nature could only be learned by living and not by stories.

He twisted the other sticks as well and watched the angry flames dancing. She'd done it well. The fire burned strong and from the pile of wood she'd stacked up. Yet, they would need more wood to make sure the fire would burn longer. Sadly, he had no idea how much wood they would need to make it last until the sun rose again or if that was even possible.

Quickly Shimon stood up and went to nearest section of the wood. Bushes guarded the entrance and he squeezed himself through the thicket to a line of trees. He collected all the twigs he could find on the ground in front of them. They were still wet from the storm today but the fire wouldn't be put out by them, that he was sure of.

He walked back to the fire and saw a silhouette crossing the beach. The sight was blocked by a sand dune and he could see the figure only from the waist upwards but he was sure it was the girl. Finally.

Shimon threw the wood into the fire. Then all hell broke loose. The noise of small explosions pierced his ears and dark smoke surrounded the fireplace where the flames ran havoc. Shimon jumped away from the fire, surprised at its behavior. Another thing he had not known before.

The Narukami girl came with a quicker pace to the fireside and looked at him in shock. "What did you do?"

"Adding wood to the fire," Shimon replied and noticed that the sticks with the fishes started burning. Without thinking he grabbed one stick and pulled it out of the sand, only to drop it quickly when pain shot from his hand to his arm. He heard a shocked gasp and clenched his teeth at the same time. Jerking his head downwards, he looked at the red stain on his hand.

He skipped his eyes to the girl who gave him a flabbergasted look. Something stroke him as odd about her face but he had no time to dwell on this. He looked at the other burning sticks with the blackened fishes.

Grabbing a corner of his cloak with his other hand he grabbed for the sticks again and patted the sticks with the cloaked hand to stop the fire from destroying their meal, before he plunged the sticks farther away from the fire.

Bitterly he thought, that he had effectively ruined the last meal they would have today. The fishes hadn't much eatable flesh on them now. It was all his fault. He should have waited until they were finished before adding wood to the fire. Yet, he'd never seen fire to react like this before. Every time a servant added wood to the fire at home it would grow more vivid but not like this.

Defeated he looked at the girl again who stared at him as if he'd grown a second head. "I'm," he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry. I haven't thought it would cause this."

"Obviously," she said. And stared at him with furrowed eyebrows. Her eyes and face looked different from when they met. He still couldn't place what had changed. Moreover he felt uncomfortably small under her gaze and lowered his eyes.

Why though? He was a prince. She was a simple maid. Yet, that knowledge wouldn't fill neither his nor her stomach. That was very likely the reason why. He swallowed hardly on a bitter lump of guilt.

Hearing her sigh, he glanced into her direction again and saw her picking up a stick and walking a few feet away from the fire.

So much about gaining her trust.

With a sigh of his own he followed her example and took one of the sticks with the burned fish. The outer parts tasted like coal, within the fish was dry. It was food anyway.

For the rest of the meal Shimon and the maid exchanged no word. After both of them ate their two fished, Shimon threw the last one that had fallen into the sand into the fire. Luckily it reacted only half as furious. If it wouldn't feed them at least it would feed the fire.

Afterwards he gazed at the girl again while he returned to his spot in front of the fire. He watched her while she stubbornly looked away. He studied her face, trying to find out what had seemed odd about it earlier. His eyes skimmed over her features.

She was pretty indeed. Her big blue eyes draw one's gaze to them. Her nose was petite, her eyebrows delicate. Her lips looked soft. Her hair, which had been darkened when he'd first saw her, was dry now, showing off a blonde fading into green. It was messily framing her face but the wild look did nothing to tarnish her prettiness. While his eyes ran over her face in an insolent manner, he came to notice the changes. Her eyes were red-rimmed and looked a bit puffed, her cheeks were slightly swollen. Had she been crying?

Curious he wanted to ask but held himself back. He had faced the extent of her pride earlier and after what he'd done to their food, he should be more careful about what to say to her.

"You're staring," she said all of a sudden without looking at him.

"Yes," he replied.

"Stop it," she said in a peremptory tone.

Surely, the Narukami girl was different than the maids he knew. With a nod, she didn't see he turned around. And did not look at her again until he laid down to sleep. She still sat a few feet behind him.

Did she want to stay up until he slept? Did she find him such a threat? Or did she, perhaps, want to kill him in cold blooded murder in his sleep? Was she perhaps the daughter of a soldier or the wife of one? Had his soldiers given her a reason to seek revenge? She had taken his dagger instead of his katana, yes, but her actions made her suspicious.

And so Shimon chose to stay awake for a bit, sharpen his ears and wait for what will happen.

Much more later he heard her shuffle. A few moments passed when he felt safe to turn around and look at her. She lay where she sat. A few feet behind him and away from the fire. Hoping she wasn't using a similar strategy and really asleep he chose to catch some sleep himself. May the Crystal decide his fate.

It was deep in the night with the moon standing high when something stirred him to wake up. Irritated and drowsy he rose his upper body. The fire had grown smaller but was still burning. His eyes fell to the figure a few feet away from him, when a moan startled him. Surprised he focused his eyes onto the the sleeping girl but she did not move. He wanted to lay down again when he heard her again. This time it was more like a whimper. With a sigh he stood up and walked towards her.

When he was closer he saw that her whole body shivered. Her face was contorted as if she was in pain.

He bend down and reached out. Carefully he touched her coat. It was still damp and icy.

That fool. She'd catch her death like this.

Taking off his coat he draped it over her body, carefully as not to wake her. Though it was warm from the fire and his body heat, it wouldn't warm her throughout her damp and cold clothing.

He frowned when he stood up. Putting a hand on his hips he watched her. Her expression had softened slightly but she was still shivering.

He sighed again and then he walked towards the woods once more on this day to collect more firewood. Maybe enough to make the fire high enough so that it warmth would reach her.

On his way something came to his mind that Seigen-dono had told him once. Shimon had no idea why he was thinking about it now but he remembered it as clearly as the day Seigen-dono said it to him, the day Shimon's mother died and his father refused to visit her on her death bed: _Pride is the death of love_.

* * *

(1) Honor – This is a very complex issue. Actually nakedness and sexuality wasn't frowned upon in medieval Japan like in western countries. Also women were the center of society until the 11th century. For instance husband's moved into the house of their wife's family etc. But that drastically changed through the course of history and women were totally submissive to their husbands and fathers in their political standing. For instance a girl would tarnish her father's honor if she tarnished her own. Honor was a very, very important virtue. And I like to use this while not actually fixing this story to a certain time period because it is a fantasy story and it would take me years of research to imitate one period accurately. So I'll try to make it as realistic at possible at the very least.

(2) Shitagi – Shirt beneath the armor of a samurai.


	8. 7

A/N: Thanks again for the reviews. Not getting much of them on this site so I am greatful for every one. ;) I hope the alerts are working correctly again. Also, no Clau, there will be no M in this. Very, very much T though. But not yet. :D

I've noticed that there is a need for more footnotes about medieval society and such. Don't get me wrong, I like getting reviews and comments asking questions 'cause it gives me an idea how others see the story and the setting. Also I like to write something that can actually teach people something other than about emotions and morals. This story was meant to have some form of criticism so it is not unimportant to know some things. Anyway, if you are not interested in it and are just here for a dose of shimayu I won't judge. You can skip the footnotes then. In case you wonder about why certain things are the way they are or like to argue, I am always ready for discussion.^^

Listened to _Within Temptation_ and _Florence + The Maschine_ to get some inspiration for this chapter. It worked.

 **7**

Warmth. It was the first thing she noticed while her mind smoothly shifted into consciousness. With a sigh she pulled the blanket closer and was welcomed by an earthy and salty smell spiced with something foreign but soothing which made her feel secure. She wanted nothing more right now than to savor this state between slumber and waking and cuddled closer into the material. The blanket scratched against her skin sensually. For a second she wondered when they had changed the silk of her room's interior with coarse linen but scooted the thought aside to bathe a little bit longer in this comfort.

Savoring the warmth, Mayura held her eyes closed. Her heart beat strong and slow.

A brush of wind tickled her nose and she scrunched it. It was odd to feel the wind inside her room. Slowly her mind tripped over the idea that she wasn't in her room. Had she fallen asleep on the veranda perhaps? With half a mind locked in the savoring state, she focused more on her surroundings.

There was a loud rush in the background, resounding at a rhythmic pace. The ground beneath her felt cool against her skin, hugging her cheek. As her consciousness slowly returned to her she remembered the past events in a rush. Pictures of prisoners in small cells, her necklace with the splinter of the crystal leaving her hand, a wall of water dark and dangerous coming closer and swallowing her. A faceless soldier of Tsuchimikado reaching out a hand for her. Her upper body jerked upwards with a shocked gasp.

Something fell off from her and she looked down blinking in wonder. Her heart was still racing while she tried to contemplate what was going on. A brown coat was draped over her legs like a blanket. With furrowed eyebrows she touched it. Her hand grazed over the rough material as if it would tell her, what had happened. And then she realized that it was _his_ coat. Her fingers buried themselves into the blanket. The rough texture scratched against the numerous wounds. Wounds of the past. Ignoring the pain, she held onto the piece of clothing and looked up. Her eyes were searching for him.

She spotted him, sitting at the fireplace, where embers were glowing among the last bits of wood that hadn't turned into aches and coal, piercing the burning remains with a bright stick.

Gulping, her drowsy mind swirled around one idea: He hadn't killed her. He would have had the chance to do so; but he didn't. Her gaze skipped to the coat again and Mayura bit her lip. Instead he gave her time to rest and had covered her with a makeshift blanket. Perhaps he didn't lie when he said, they needed to work together. Perhaps she should be more open to the idea of working together with him.

Again she looked over to his figure. He had not shown any sign that he'd noticed her waking up yet. Maybe he was giving her space for she did not think he could have missed it. Without his coat, she could see more of his shape and uniform. The sort of jacket he wore broadened his shoulders and made him look impressive. The hair looked unruly and glowed in a deep red, that was odd but interesting. Yesterday she hadn't let herself think about him, after he'd ruined their food. But she remembered her slight surprise when he'd been there at the fireplace with his hair dried and standing up high instead of hugging his head. He was admittedly handsome, yet not in the ideal way. The color of his eyes was too sharp like the sting of ice. The color of his hair too demanding. It was as if he had been painted with extremes, as if the Crystal had drained thousands of people from their color and had given it to him. It had to be the foreigner-thing, Mayura concluded, that was making him attractive. She didn't know, if he was considered handsome in his homeland, too. The aura coming from him was undeniable though.

Like the man wearing it, his uniform was burning with red. The colors of his jacket glared at her and it looked like blood was smeared over it where the colors of fire did not reach. Tsuchimikado – from afar it seemed to be a land of extremes. However, instead of fear the sight of the blazing colors evoked her interest now.

She had been afraid of him. The moment she'd recognized the colors of Tsuchimikado, she had been scared to loose her life. Most of her fear had been swallowed in her aggravation afterwards. He'd insulted her – constantly. One soldier from Tsuchimikado had the nerve to insult her more in the course of one day than she'd ever been insulted during her whole life.

And then for the Crystal's sake he'd ruined the food – how by the Crystal and the world beyond he did not know that you don't throw anything wet into fire was beyond her. Then he had possessed the nerve to ogle her in an impudent manner. She'd cursed him – inwardly. The bitter taste of the burned food had fed her desperation more than her stomach. Especially his shameless staring after this had made her feel uncomfortable, never having experienced something like this before. Anyone who would have dared to look at the princess of Narukami insolently would have risked to loose his head by a swift blow of one of her guard's swords. (1)

But –

But she wasn't the princess right now, not in this place. Even though she would prefer to hate him for his behavior, he couldn't have known she was a princess and that he would have been a dead man at another place in another time for his actions. As much as it frightened her, she had to lay her past self to rest for now. To the soldier from Tsuchimikado she was a lower class Narukami girl and she had to bite into the sour apple and needed to act like one.

Maybe she could trust him. He was from Tsuchimikado, yes. He was a soldier, yes. He was a stranger and she'd learned strangers aren't to be trusted, yes. But hadn't the point of her journey been to end the dispute between both nations? To make them lower their weapons and reconcile? To live in harmony? How could she expect her people to trust the others when she herself couldn't?

As if it was standing beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder, she recalled her idealistic self, the person she had been before she had set off on a journey. Her gaze dropped to the ground. A shadow hugged the uneven ground of sand, stretching towards the sea. She recalled her idealism, her thoughts about unity, equality and things that had a nice rang to the ear. It felt like a distant memory, like the picture of something she could only look at from the outside now. Nostalgia rushed through her. She had been different before her journey. She had been naive, yes. But she had believed in something that wasn't impossible. She had no idea back then that she couldn't achieve anything without a fight. Now she knew.

So wasn't it better to find a part of her own self on this island being trapped with somebody else? Did it matter where they came from? They both bled red, they both felt hunger and thirst and they both needed warmth to live through the night. They were equals here. She was no princess and he was no soldier. She was not from Narukami and he was not from Tsuchimikado, not as long as they were here, trapped on an island.

Rising a fist to her chest, her other hand held on the coat, which he had worn when they first met. Mayura bit her lip and set her eyes onto him again. This time she watched him with different eyes as if she had laid down chunk of glass through which she'd only seen a blurred version of the person in front of her.

And it was in that moment, when she looked past his uniform, past his deadly weapon and past his strange outer looks that she realized that she did not know his name. She had no idea whom she was glancing at.

Releasing a loud sigh, she got his attention. He raised his head and turned it towards her. His expression was the painting of indifference; his mouth rested into a scowl and his eyes bore an undefined look.

Mayura rose to her feet and folded up the coat. She walked towards him with their eyes set on each other. Her heart beat accelerated but she did not stray.

"Ano~," she said, feeling foolish about her behavior on the day before.

His expression did not shift. Focusing on his face she saw the hint of a risen eyebrow but otherwise she could not see any form of his emotion. He was hard to read. His eyes were guarded with their icy blue that made a chill crawl over her skin.

"Thank you for lending me your coat," she stretched out her arms, offering him to take back the piece of clothing.

"No need to thank me," he said and accepted her sign of truce.

"Also I wanted to apologize." Finally his expression was changing. His eyebrows rose and in the depth of his eyes something was born. A sparkle that made her swallow. She averted her eyes and folded her hands before she continued, "My behavior towards you was uncalled for. You were right. We are trapped on this island and if we want to survive, we have to work together. So I am sorry..."

"You can call me Shimon," he helped her out.

"Thank you, Shimon," his named rolled off her tongue easily and she bowed down in respect while she wondered about the tingling taste lingering on her tongue.

"You're welcome, Otomi-san," he replied after he took in an audible breath.

She was taken aback at the name. It took her a moment until she remembered that she'd given him her mother's birth name. She hoped, he did not notice her little slip. Confused she stuttered, "Call me Mayura."

He blinked at her.

"If I ought to call you by your first name, you ought to call me in kind," she said trying to give him a reasonable explanation.

He nodded quickly, "You are welcome, Mayura."

Her name in a slightly different accent rang in her ears, having never heard the vocals sounding so softly.

"Besides I need to offer you some gratitude, too," Shimon added, continuing the conversation for which she was grateful.

"Hm?" Now it was her time to rise her eyebrows.

"For saving me from touching the poisonous bush," he said with the most elusive hint of a smile.

"You're welcome, Shimon," she tried his name again. It was a nice name with a gentle sound and she decided she liked it. Testing their more amicable grounds, she wanted to light their situation with a joke. "It would have been a very unhonorable death."

"That it would," he agreed matter of factly.

An awkward smile formed on her face at his obvious lack of humor. She figured, that talking to him might not become the easiest task on this island but as long as it would keep her alive it was fine.

* * *

His hand throbbed where it was kissed by fire the day before. With every beat of his heart, the blistered skin ached. Opening his hand Shimon glanced at the palm presenting a red weal. It looked like he had held a burning sword. Yet, it had been his lack of experience that had marked him.

When he had woken up, the sun was rising in the sky and he'd been very cold. Without his coat even the fire had not been able to shield him from the coldness. Glancing over to the sleeping form that was covered with his coat, he had been glad to find out that the girl from Narukami had not attacked him while he was sleeping. She looked to be resting with much more comfort and so he had decided to let her regain her strength a while longer at the sight of her soft expression.

The fire had dimmed down and he'd thought about gathering more firewood but decided differently. If they needed this much wood to keep a fire through the night, they couldn't afford to keep it running at day. But chopping wood was impossible, too. They had no tool for that.

And so he had made plans on how they most likely would survive until they either found a way to get off this island or to be found by the search parties which where likely turning each stone on Tsuchimikado around at the moment. At some point they would set their sight offshore, when they realized their prince was nowhere to be found on Tsuchimikado.

During planning on their tasks, Shimon's mind had drifted off to the girl sleeping peacefully a few feet away. She was odd. She looked like an underclass maid but acted and spoke like a noble. Something was off about her. She was clearly hiding something despite the stolen dagger and that was a dangerous thing.

And then there was also something familiar about her. Like he should have known her.

He was playing with a stick in the dying fire, when he'd heard her sigh.

Forcing her out of his head, he had continued to shovel the burning parts of the fire closer together.

When he'd heard her sigh again, he had turned around and watched her rise, before folding his coat neatly in her hands. It was a bewitching sight and he stared at her without understanding why. She'd looked like a princess and not like a simple girl. Her movements were graceful despite the restriction of her yukata, her expression awe-inspiring despite having risen from sleep just a moment ago.

He had watched her coming closer, his gaze fixed to her like in a spell. Was she able to use witchcraft like some people were said to be?

Anyway, this morning he'd learned that she was nice actually.

Until a few moments ago they had discussed the plans he'd thought about and she'd been logically and strategically adding to what he had planned. The result was them agreeing on collecting and stocking up firewood at the border of the forest, more shielded from rain. Moreover they agreed on a strategy to provide for food and start building a raft when they had time.

It had been almost surprising on how well they actually harmonized in discussing a strategy. Yet, that had not been the most surprising thing this morning.

He had been slightly surprised, when she'd thanked him for giving her his coat but even more, when she'd apologized to him. In kind he had told her his name while he carefully placed the folded piece of clothing in front of him which was soaked in her body warmth. And that was when the most astounding thing happened: The sound of his name rolling off of her tongue in a gentle tone was a hundred times more surprising than their harmony or her gratitude and apology; or rather the flutter it caused beneath his lungs was. It had taken him a moment and a steadying breath to catch himself after having heard her say his name in the slightly different accent, the foreign slur of vocals he had grown used to thanks to Seigen-dono. Without thinking about it, he'd called her Otomi-san in respect and had received the offer to call her by her birth name in return.

Now as he sat on the ground beside her and watched her bend over a unfastened scroll, he wondered when the Narukami girl had turned into Otomi-san to him and why it been so easy to accept calling her by her first name.

After they had devised a plan for securing their survival, he had mumbled, that he'd wished to know, where they were. He'd been staring off into the bright sky, free off clouds, remembering the storm that had nearly swallowed him yesterday, when all of a sudden she had pulled out her scroll.

His gaze shifted from her form down to the scroll and he noticed now what she was looking at. A map. He could make out the wide and broad form of Tsuchimikado and recognized the centered posture of the Crystal Island and the large sea in-between. Why Mayura was in possession of a map he had no idea, especially a map that showed both nations, but he leaned closer now, wanting to have at least an idea of his whereabouts to calm down this inner worry. One more information, one less insecurity.

She turned to him and said with a finger gently grazing the ink on the paper, "I remember the ship having crossed at least one other island to the north but I could not tell, whether it was Crystal Island or another isle."

He felt the heat of her breath. Startled he leaned away, to get more space in between them. His skin tingled where her breath had caressed it. Shimon cleared his throat and turned more of his back towards her. Reaching out a hand he tapped a finger on the map, onto the point he had stared at earlier: The sea in between Tsuchimikado and Crystal Island as well as the southern vacant ones. "I was hit by the storm while being on sea. I don't think the current could have swept me so far as to round either Crystal Island or the great one to its south, which must mean –"

"Which must mean we are on the isle in the south-west of Crystal Island!"

Her excitement got to him. The happiness of her exclamation inspiring him to release a sigh of relief while he eyed her over his shoulder. Not having known where on their sphere they were, must have been as unnerving to her as it had been to him. Getting lost was one thing, having no means of how to find a way back home was another.

He looked at her thoroughly while she smiled brightly at the map. She was odd. And he still could not shake off the feeling that she was someone he knew but could not remember. Regardless, he realized, that he did know nothing about her. If she was proud and witty, he should not disrespect it. Maybe she was somebody else beneath the clothes of a lower class maiden. Maybe she was a person who was too clever for the class she was born in and that was the reason why, he'd found her, stranded on the same isle he was. Either way, he had no reason to misbehave towards her or to act as if he was higher of class or be presumptuous in any way. On this island he was no prince. He was just a shipwrecked warrior.

Feeling much more comfortable he said, "Now that we have covered, where we are we should make preparations. Maybe we could scout the island first. I wonder, if we can find something else to eat except fish." He rose to his feet and waited for her to pack away the map.

With delicate fingers she rolled up the scroll, obviously thinking about his question. He stretched his hand towards her to help her get onto her feet. While she reached for it with a small smile, she asked, "How about mushrooms?"

Her suggestion buzzed in his ears, when she grabbed the hand he held out for her. He could not tell, if it was pleasure or pain that crawled over his skin. Confused he asked, "Mushrooms?"

"Oh, they are food –" she started explaining.

"I know," he interrupted and pressed the palm of his hand against his Jin-Baori to make the tingling sensation go away. "I just don't know how to find them. They are rare on Tsuchimikado." He murmured staring at his hand. What had been that reaction right now? Was it the aftermath of the fire or had it been because of her touch?

"Is the climate very dry in Tsuchimikado?"

His gaze rose again. Seeing she'd leaned her head slightly to the side, Shimon shrugged. "I don't know. Compared to here, maybe."

"Hm, I've read most mushrooms grow on the ground or on trees shielded from the sun in forests. Some of them are poisonous, too but I think I can remember which are eatable."

He blinked at her. She was extraordinarily knowledgeable. It did not matter where she'd learned to read but that she was able to and that she knew many things that would help them survive was amazing. Next to her he felt rather useless, which irked him. It was a false sense of pride, yet he could not help but want to show her, he could be of use, too and so he said, "We should search for some while scouting the isle."

And so they walked further along the beach to the north where the shadows from the trees fell onto the sand. It looked like it rounded most of the isle with the forest towering in its middle, spread over a hill to the north-east.

"Would you mind, if we went to the lake on our scouting tour? I'd like to wash up a bit," Mayura said strolling a few feet behind him.

"Sure," he agreed. He could use a bit of washing himself, too. His clothes had been washed by the sea but it was still uncommon for him to wear the same clothes a few days in a row. So it would be nice at least to clean his face with fresh water.

They finally reached an end of the isle that was neither beach nor forest. At the northern end they needed to climb up a stoney hill. Behind them lay the beach, to their right the forest and in front of them were high cliffs towering over the sea hitting its waves against the cliffs.

The most welcomed sight lay across. From this point he could see the objective of his journey: Crystal Island. He could roughly see the outskirts of the big island stretching over the horizon with it's massive cliffs on guard but it was there almost within reach.

As quickly as it came to his mind, he'd discarded the idea of swimming. There was a very low chance he could make it that far and a bigger one to have his life claimed by the sea in the end. His gaze rose to the sky above, while a white bird passed over their heads screaming. Shimon wished he could fly. He'd cross the distance in no time.

"How long do you think will we be on this isle?" Mayura's voice broke him out of his day dream.

He though about this. How long would it take to build a raft? Days? Weeks? Months? But certainly not as long as someone to find them here. "Before we'd built a raft... It might take a while with both of us having neither tools nor knowledge on how to build one. However, I am sure that someone will find us first."

"They'd better not find a soldier from Tsuchimikado though," she replied.

Irritated he frowned not understanding, what she was implying at first. He'd heard the strange term from Seigen-dono before but why would his warriors bother? Then he realized, what she meant but it did not help to smooth down the confusion. Turning around he looked at her. "Why would people from Narukami come here?"

He watched Mayura blink and fidget with her fingers. Her eyes drifted to the left before they settled on his again. "I-I just thought that we don't know, where they might come from and that it is easier for me to act as if I was from Tsuchimikado, whereas you wouldn't be able to disguise your identity."

He could not help but smile at the double sliced irony. He would certainly not be able to pretend to be someone else, if they came here looking for Prince Ikaruga Shimon of House Tsuchimikado. "I suppose I won't," he replied before continuing, "Nevertheless I am sure if people would come here, they will be from Tsuchimikado."

She looked at him big eyed, mouth slightly agape, a mask of pure confusion and totally different from her graceful demeanor earlier. Guessing he should stay away from remarks about Tsuchimikado to keep his true identity hidden, he walked past her. "We should continue scouting. There is no way to say how long the island stretches into the east."

They walked in silence into the forest at a passage where the trees stood less dense. She took the lead looking for mushrooms while he observed their surroundings. His gaze passed the trunks of trees, bushes, foliage and moss. It would be easy to collect firewood together. Between bushes and grass the ground was covered with old twigs and sticks that had been torn off by the wind and animals. It won't help them forever but it was a good start, if both of them gathered and stocked up a high amount of it.

Looking over to Mayura, he saw her pressed against a tree, trying to reach out for mushrooms that were growing in the shadow of it like she said. Shimon walked over to her and reached for them from behind, being a head higher than her. Startled she jumped away.

He tore off a mushroom and held it out for her. A red hue formed on her face and she mumbled her thanks before taking off her coat and spreading it in front of her. Understanding the cue he placed the mushroom inside the hollow between her arms and started to harvest the rest of the mushrooms.

After picking the last of them he looked at her while she folded up her coat into a bag. Rays of the sun broke through the leaves above like beams, framing her form. It was now that he noticed he had not seen her without her coat yet. What had been hidden beneath the coat could not be made invisible by her dark blue yukata now. Round hips, a slim waist and ample breasts met his gaze, which he quickly tore away.

His stomach clenched. He had not meant to do something this indiscreet and he had no idea where this kind of interest suddenly came from. He'd never – looked at a woman like that.

If she'd noticed his gaze, she did not say anything.

Feeling guilty, he followed her through the forest and scolded himself or his lecherous eyes.

Thanks to the slope he could tell that they were nearing the place where the stream was. Time and time she would stop to gather more mushrooms.

When all of a sudden something rustled in the bushes next to Mayura. Instinctively his hand grabbed the handle of his katana.

With a yelp she jumped backwards and walked into his chest. Her coat dropped to the ground. Like a wave the mushrooms tumbled out of the cloth and onto the ground.

Shimon rounded her and stood in front of her like a shield.

Time seemed to stop while they both looked intensely at the rustling bush. Finally something broke through the deep green leaves.

Something small, making a bleeping sound. It was some kind of rodent. A brownish gray rat or something with a bushy tail. (2) Quickly it ran off into the other direction.

From in front of him he heard a deep sigh.

"You are scared easily," Shimon commented and bend down to collect the mushrooms that had fallen out of her coat.

She did the same going onto her knees and chattered, "Do you gave any idea what animals live in this area? From what I read there are colorful animals shaped like ropes which slide over the ground and snap at you with deadly poison and cats as big as horses with sharp teeth and strong yaws. Close to Tsuchimikado there are said to live monstrous creatures, bodies long as boats, their skin hard as stone and their mouth almost as long as their tail and big enough to swallow a child at once." (3)

"Sounds like fairy-tales and myths," he said after she'd finished. Looking up he saw her glare and he quickly added, "Although I heard about those long monsters, too. But they are said to live in the moorlands in the west of Tsuchimikado."

She stopped searching for the mushrooms and leaned back on her heels. "People say the closer to the Crystal you live the more potent the fruits you bear. Who knows what we might detect?"

He did the same thing, shifting his weight by putting a knee on the ground, facing her fully. "My people have a similar saying. Nothing grows out of the Crystal's reach and the closer the more ripe your gains."

"And don't you believe them?"

Somehow he remembered walking by a conversation when he was younger; the old drunken Commander had bragged to Shimon's father, how he had been able to impregnate his wife faster the more often he'd returned from Crystal Island. The memory was as disturbing as the experience and made heat rise to Shimon's cheek. It was a good thing the old man had retired soon, clearing the way for a much more potent candidate who would not brag about impregnating anyone, not only because it was impossible for her. Then he thought about Sayo and how the Crystal's power was slowly tormenting her body and stealing more of her strength day by day. This probably wouldn't happen, if she would live farther away from the Crystal, where its reach was much more softer.

Sucking in a deep breath through his nose, his eyes skipped to the sea blue ones of Mayura and he'd noticed he had yet to reply. "I do."

She mustered him. Her felt her gaze traveling over his face like the touch of a feather. Breaking their contact, she leaned forward again and started to collect more mushrooms. "Are all Tsuchimikado people as dry and serious as you?"

"I don't think so," Shimon said in all honesty. His siblings had often remarked this and therefore tried to get beneath his skin, to make him go out of himself but there wasn't much that could aggravate him.

Mayura's reply was a smile and not a face of disapproval which he'd had reckoned with.

With uplifted spirits he got back to work and started to collect more mushrooms.

Suddenly Mayura released a high pitched sound, trapped between a yelp and a scream. With wide opened eyes she stared at the ground, pressing a fist to her chest. Tensed he followed her gaze to find a white, polished thing glaring back at him from beneath a bush, a white pipe with a round, bulbous head. It took him a blink of an eye to realize that it was a bone. His heart beat accelerated. Surely this was the remains of an animal having been killed by another animal. Yet, he couldn't help tensing up even more as he'd pushed away the bush to examine the object closer.

Whatever this had belonged to, it was no small animal.

Pushing away the leaves surrounding it, he uncovered a loosened a pile of earth. Holding his breath, he reached out for the bone striking out towards him. His fingers closed around the cold and surprisingly porous thing and he pulled it out of the earth. Beside him he heard a gasp and he whipped his head to the side looking at Mayura who looked into his direction with horror but without looking at him. He glanced at the thing in his hand again. It was longer than he'd expected. The half that had been covered with earth was blackened. He wondered which animal had such long bones. When he noticed something else being naked to the sight in the ground now. A black socket of an eye staring back at him and rotten teeth fixed into a grin.

Shocked he dropped the bone.

A skull.

A human skull.

This had been a human.

Mayura gasped again. This time the sound broken with a whimper. She stuttered, "That's..."

"Yeah," he said, trying to control his breathing and to concentrate on the possibilities. Why was a human skeleton buried on this island? How did the person die? How did they get buried?

Clearing his throat he tried for an explanation, "Maybe the person died of starvation."

"Then why are they buried?"

"It could have been an animal?"

They both looked at each other, restless and terrified. There was no clear explanation for what might have happened and they both knew.

Shimon swallowed hard. His eyes shifted onto the skull again. What would he uncover, if he dug deeper? He wasn't sure, he wanted to find out. But if there was a sign for anything dangerous on this isle, he'd like to know. Determined he leaned towards the pile of earth and started shoveling it away with his bare hands.

What he did uncover made a shill run down his spine as he had found a second skull buried beneath the other, also blackened. Someone gagged. He wasn't sure if it was himself or Mayura and continued to stare at the two skulls in the ground.

This he really did not expect.

Taking a few deep breaths he leaned forward and examined the second skull. It was similar to the other in terms of size. The black looked more like stains though and it on the right temple of the skull stuck a black crust. Gathering his courage Shimon reached out and touched it. It broke apart at the point where he touched it. Black dust was on his finger tip above the cover of earth.

Soot.

They had been burned.

No animal was able to make fire.

Drifting his gaze towards Mayura he saw her looking at him with a mix of fear and expectation. Her eyes were like mirrors reflecting a pool of emotions, widened and brightened like a sea waiting for the next storm to come.

When he was sure to trust his voice, Shimon told her, "Somebody burned them."

* * *

Mayura did not know what she'd expected of life. When she was young, she had made up stories about her future, coloring the painting brushed with the strokes of words with Rokuro lending her a hand. She had been sure to never leave the estate, to live there for the rest of her life, to be wedded some day to a man her father would chose with her and her mother's consent. The last three days had been anything but her original prospects.

Yet, she had not stopped and thought about her life so far when she'd left the estate, when she'd freed prisoners and crossed the sea. It had not been expected but not utterly shocking. Now she thought she'd found something she never would have expected, not in her wildest dreams to partake in her life: Seeing the remains of a human body being burned to charcoal. Very few people thought death to be a prominent part in life. But it was and Mayura had learned it in a frightening way while gathering the mushrooms she'd dropped and being friendly with her companion.

After she'd recovered from the shock and they agreed to bury the remains again, they'd left the grave with the different forms of prayers of their nations, different in words but not meaning, and went their way. They had not spoken much to each other for the rest of the day. Except for necessary questions and statements they chose silence over talking and had worked on their chores, keeping them busy until the evening.

It would be almost funny how this silence between them was disturbing her, if it weren't for today's discovery. She'd finally come around to open up to him and found she even liked it, when death forced its way into her life.

Who had burned those bodies? Did they kill them? Was somebody else on this island?

The bones of the dead weren't the only they had found. When they were able to tear their frightened eyes away from the gruesome discovery, they'd noticed the carving on the trunk above the grave. Mayura had seen them first. It was in her periphery as she tore her gaze away from the skulls staring back at her. When she raised her eyes she saw them, marks on the tree that were deeply carved into its bark. Three rectangular with sharp edges at the upper and lower end overlaying each other, the biggest one in the middle, pointing upwards and the other two facing away.

She'd never seen a symbol like this before. Neither had Shimon. At least he told her so when she pointed him to it. And she'd believed him. There was no reason for him to lie. He'd been as shocked as her at their finding.

What had happened on this isle? The unknown drifting in and out of her like smoke, filling her at every breath, darkening what laid inside. It was weighing on her heart and mind. Who had those people been? How had they lived? Had they been happy? Was she going to end the same way? Would she die on this island?

While Shimon grilled the mushrooms on a stone next to the fire at the moment, Mayura sat aside, having a hard time to move. Hugging her legs, resting her head between above knees, she waited for the day to be over. She did not care what he'd might think. She was scared and tired, so endlessly tired she wanted to sleep. She wanted to sleep until everything was fine again, like waking from a nightmare, discarding it as something without importance and pick up her life where she had left it off. It was too much, having been stepped on, insulted, send off to die and now facing – facing something unspeakable. It was too much.

If this was life outside of the walls of her home, she did not want it. She'd rather go home and live her life trapped inside but secure from the outside. She'd hug her mother when there was nobody around to frown upon this sign of affection. She would watch her best friend train to become a soldier swinging his bokken (4) in the middle of the courtyard while barking about becoming the greatest soldier. She would read a book, leaning against the trunk of a tree while breathing in the cold, humid air of her homeland.

Her arm shook as she slung it tighter around her legs, replacing comfort with pressure to make sure she won't fall apart.

She heard the crunch of sand next to her and positioned her head on her legs differently to see what happened. Shimon bend over the steaming mushrooms. Pushing a few of them onto a big leaf with the help of another. When he walked over to her, she turned her head away and did not move until he left her side again.

He'd put down her food without talking to her, giving her space. She was thankful for this gesture and figured he deserved much more gratitude than she's showed him so far.

Not feeling hungry at all she picked up a mushroom and plopped it into her mouth, chewing on it from one side to another. She watched him serve himself his own share of the meal now and sitting down a few feet from the fire and a few feet from her. He was a silent and calm guy. Not talking much if not asked. It was as weird as it was comforting. The only other boy around his age she knew was Rokuro and that was one loud and bashful personality. She'd hated, if he tried to cheer her up.

Gulping down the mushroom she picked another. Slowly her hunger returned to her and soon she finished her portion, feeling sated and much more calmer.

Rising to her feet, she fed the leaf to the fire and sighed. It was no use to sulk. (5) It would not help her survive and it would not help her country or her people. Today's discovery was just another evidence for something being very wrong in this world. She watched the flames devour the leaf in a few beats of the heart until nothing was left.

She jumped when a hand reached for the fire and gave it another leaf to consume. Shimon stood next to her. Only one feet away. She had to tilt her head to look up at him.

"I know you've stolen my dagger," he said all of a sudden.

There was no hint of accusation in his voice. Nevertheless a gasp forced its way through her throat, only to be forced back by a lump; she had to swallow.

"You can trust me. I won't hurt you," he continued.

She wanted to believe him. She did already. A part of her believed. A part of her trusted him. Trusted in a part of him. The boy beneath the armor who had lend her his coat. Who devised with her plans and scouted the isle. Who had made her smile and jump. Who caused jitters in her belly when he had stood behind her to reach out for the mushrooms and who'd made a shiver of pleasure rush up her spine when their hands connected. But there was the other part, the obvious one shrieking in red as he had not put on his coat all day and she felt like she needed to finally talk about it, to overcome and leave it behind, "You are a soldier from Tsuchimikado."

Folding her hands in front of her she watched him stand next to her a hand stemmed into his hip and staring into the fire. She watched its reflection mirroring in his eyes. Flames were dancing in the those icy globes. "I serve my country," he stated.

She took in a deep breath through her nose. It was time to finally set things straight. With a bit of reluctance and fear clouding her voice she drawled, "Your duty is to kill people from Narukami. So why not me?"

He turned around. His eyes looked soft now as if the flames had melted the ice in them. She thought, she needed to correct herself. His eyes weren't the color of ice but of a clear sky, shining with vigor and kindness. Something stirred within her beneath her stomach, like the wheel of a water mill was set off to nourish unfamiliar emotions, plunging into the depth of the water. Her sight drifted from his eyes over his face, irritated at her sudden reaction. His deep voice sounded much more softer, than it did before, when he said, "I don't want to kill Narukami people."

From all the things he could have replied, this was the most surprising one. Bewildered Mayura shook her head. "Then why did you become a soldier in the first place?"

"People don't chose as what they are born as and what is expected from them. Yet, they can choose how they follow the path laid out for them," Shimon said.

Mayura considered the meaning behind his words and looked back into the dance of the flames, fighting against the wind and gaining strength. Suddenly she thought about her role as a princess. All her life she was raised as one and acted like one because it was what she had been supposed to do. There was only one time she chose not to go the usual way as princess and that led her here. The moment she chose not to do what she ought to do and marry a stranger. If she hadn't, she wouldn't be here. She wouldn't have met this boy. She wouldn't have been hurt and almost killed either. She wouldn't have set eyes on the remains of the dead. Was it possible, she made the wrong decision back then? She was far from her goal to persuade the lord of Tsuchimikado in canceling the arrangement. But then again, she hadn't come this far to give up.

 _A princess does not bow_ , she thought and found some sort of comfort in it. She would get to Tsuchimikado. One way or the other. Perhaps Shimon could help her. If they weren't found by her people first – and he likely killed – he could accompany her to Tsuchimikado. Maybe even into the city and to the palace. There was a chance this journey was not a total disaster after all.

When she rose her eyes again, she saw Shimon looking at her. Instead of talking, Shimon waited patiently for her to say something. As their eyes met, she felt for the first time that they were on common grounds. Whatever his story was, his eyes mirrored the things she felt. The silence between them was not uncomfortable as it should be at this point of their acquaintance.

It was strange indeed. The revelation made her breath caught in her chest, her mouth slightly opened. She did not want to dwell on this and asked him instead. "So if you don't want to kill people from Narukami, have you always refused the commands? Have you ever slain one of my people?"

He seemed to ponder on the question. Very deep in thought. It was obvious what it meant. He had taken a life, maybe even more than one. Her chest felt heavy all of a sudden. The weight of disappointment made her shoulders sack and her eyes drop. She had no idea why she felt so strongly about this.

She nibbled on her lip, when all of a sudden, he startled her out of her thoughts, "No, I haven't killed anyone. I was trained in swordsmanship but not to deal lethal blows. My mentor believed, there always is an alternative. You can win a battle without ending your opponent's life."

She smiled and instantly thought about her father. She imagined his tired eyes and his scowl as he lectured a soldier who swung his sword without a focus. As a small girl she had walked into speech during a training unit and she'd looked at her father in awe until her mother ushered her back into the house. Mayura chuckled at the fond memory. "Sounds like someone I know."

When the image of her father faded, the image of Shimon reached her mind. There was something misty in his eyes as if clouds of remembrance rolled over their sight. It was yet another thing they had in common. And she'd understood that despite their differences it was another thing that made them human, another thing distinguishing the breathing from the unbreathing. They wore memories like clothes. Layer by layer they were covered in them to define who they were. The deepest, most secret layers being the closest to the heart.

In silence and calm they stood at the fire, they'd need to tend to soon again. The only noise was the crackle of the fire and the waves of the ocean washing ashore.

"You can keep the dagger," Shimon uttered after a while.

Mayura licked her lips, unsure, if she deserved his trust. Guilt ached her heart. She shouldn't have taken it, the dagger that is. She wasn't sure, if she could make use of it anyway. It was stupid for so many reasons. "I couldn't defend myself," she confessed, being honest to him and herself. The idea of getting attacked crossed her mind and she rose a shaking fist to her chest because of the danger feeling much more real since their horrendous experience. The shaking of her form transferred to her voice making it quiver when she elaborated, "Not from you, not from anyone else. Not with or without the dagger."

He looked at her – unblinkingly. Turning his body towards hers, his eyes bore into hers, his confidence reaching out for her. One corner of his lips slightly lifted as he promised, "Don't worry. I will do it for you, if someone attacks us."

Although it was not sensible, she believed him. She had no idea why but she did believe him. She felt relieved at the idea that this stranger, this soldier who should not care about her life, would fight for her. Grateful she murmured, "Thank you, Shimon."

"And just for the record. I hold no grudge against Narukami or its people. Far from it. It's more the other way around," he said with his voice drifting off at the end, silencing whatever explanation would have followed.

Confused she blinked her eyes. "What do you mean?"

He turned his back towards her and headed into the direction of the forest where they'd stocked up a pile on firewood earlier. With a glance over his shoulder he told her, "We better get to rest. We should use as much sunlight as we can."

* * *

(1) Because of some surprised reactions at Mayura's outburst I guessed I need to explore this for a bit. 1. Female honor is a very fragile thing. Shimon already scratched on her honor when he undressed in front of her. 2. Even nowadays staring is considered to be rude in Japanese culture. Staring at a noble woman is offensive. That's why I thought it would fit the medieval like setting to make this a big insult. Also the bigger the obstacles for two people to overcome the deeper the romance.

(2) And so it begins. First round of guessing what animal made a mention in the story. In this case they saw a squirrel. Were you able to guess right?

(3) The first animal is a snake, the second a tiger, the third one an alligator or crocodile (whatever suits you, it's not that important to this story.) It is not easy to find out if these animals lived in Japan at medieval times. Right now I am very sure snakes and tigers exist/existed there. But I don't think there are any crocodiles/alligators. But let's pretend in Crystal world they are there cause it has its own climate system as well. It's fantasy and there will be more fantasy elements soon, I promise.

(4) Bokken – Wooden training sword.

(5) Mayura and Shimon are used to be served so bringing someone food and "cleaning your plate" shows activity, especially since they don't think about it. They both take matters into their own hands now.

A/N: Fun Fact: When I wrote this chapter I knew the mushrooms and the grave would make an appearance but they weren't part of one scene. Sometimes all you need is a squirrel to make the story telling flow on its own. :P

Sorry if you feel that there is a lack of action. But I need them to fall in love so I can make them suffer – errr... I mean, give them new adventures. Luckily I canceled Mayura's feelings for Rokuro out of the story. They are BIG a nuisance in the original story and if it was part of this one, getting Shimon and Mayura together would be like making ice catch fire.


	9. 8

_A/N:_ _Okay... Chapter 50 of SnO was... heavy... ALL THE FEELS, DAMMIT. But the deep development of shimayu is utterly beautiful. I love how they are there for each other. They are so pure. *sniff*_

 _Ok now to the story. Thank you for all the reviews and follows. I am relieved to see this story finally hitting it off._

 _I know this chapter has taken over a month and I am very sorry but you know life happens all the time. Plus, I have published two One-shots in the meantime and chapter one of a new shimayu fanfiction. (I wasn't lazy, I swear. XD) *cough* If you want, you might want to check out "Branches". It is fantasy and romance and yet another shimayu AU for a contest on Wattpad (which actually passed the first round. YAY!) :P_

 _Alsoooo I like you all to know that this is chapter is presented to you by not only me but zeropointzerotwo (tumblr)/shinytofu (twitter) who drew beautiful fanart to this chapter, starting off our collaborative work on this fic.^^ Yeah, you heard right, we are going to have more beautiful fanart to this universe in the future. Sadly, I can't post pictures nor links on this site so you either would need to look it up on tumblr or on Wattpad and AO3. _

_Enough talking! Have fun reading!^^_

 **8**

The sound of the river washing over stones, falling into waves and ripples, was the only noise surrounding her. It's rhythm calmed her down and made her sigh while kneeling on the river bank. Her hands folded into the shape of a bowl, were filled with water. For a moment she stopped when she noticed her own wavering reflection staring back at her. A familiar image, contorted in the flow of the stream. Mayura recognized the sight but found something new, a different expression in her eyes which she had not had before she left her home. She focused on the image frowning back at her until a beam of light broke through the treetops. The mirror image faded. Sprinkling water into her face, she savored the tranquility of the moment.

These last few days they'd been on the island, they had made a lot of progress. The times she was washing up by herself were most welcome, not only to refresh herself and clean off the strain of the day but to have a moment for herself. It wasn't that Shimon's company was a nuisance. On the contrary, she'd been surprised at how well they worked together. Yet, this little time of having not to worry or think about anything was nice.

Mayura sighed contentedly and started her routine.

After loosening her obi, she picked up the rag she brought along, a piece she had torn off of her cape. Mayura began to wash her hair and body while keeping the clothes on, shifting them from one side to another to keep her body shielded from sight. If there was somebody else on this island, she wouldn't want them to see her. She didn't thought Shimon would look though. After getting to know him, she discovered that he wasn't the guy she had at first believed him to be. Rather than that he seemed chivalrous and courteous. He would do no such thing.

Shimon – he was a silent guy. He talked not much, if not needed. She had to ask him whenever she wanted to know something other than what they were going to do or how they were going to do it. Otherwise he'd stayed rather reserved; especially about himself. Very soon she'd learned what to ask and what not and so she had used the chance to learn more about Tsuchimikado and its people, what the country was like and how the people were. In return she'd told him about Narukami, making her miss the gloomy weather, the noises of the city being carried uphill, and the traditions they honored.

All in all it was funny, how she'd always had not truly believed in the rumors about Tsuchimikado people, but never came to think of something which grew clearer the more she'd learned about the other nation. Never had she seen past the name _Tsuchimikado_ , never had she thought about their people being nothing but people. But learning about the land divided by the sea, she acknowledged that the distance was one of the fewer things dividing them. They also had monks and priest praying to the Crystal, they believed in the power of the sacred object, they had similar customs and ideals about family, friendship, honor and dignity. And they shared the same legends and prophesies. Using different titles for similar concepts shouldn't be a reason to bear arms but reach out for each other.

The more she had talked to the man from Tsuchimikado the less he was becoming exactly that. Everything she now saw when she looked at him was Shimon being Shimon.

Even though he had unique colored hair, a color that she had never seen before, it made him not different from her. She herself had uniquely colored hair when it came to others from Narukami. There were similarities even in their differences and she thought it was stupid of people to connect outer appearances to their negative feelings.

People of Tsuchimikado and Narukami were alike. First of all they were people and nothing more. Mayura concluded they were more like estranged brothers and into her mind drifted Jinya-sama's words of parting as he reminded her of the legend on how men came to be. The whole war and its reason was revealed to her as something much more senseless than she'd assumed it to be when she had set off on her journey.

So to her Shimon was no Tsuchimikado soldier anymore. And although she had no idea how he felt and what he thought about her company, she was glad to have him here on this isle. Not only because they worked good together and he had ideas and was handling things in ways she would not have thought of but because she would have felt awfully lonely. So far his company had been proven much more satisfying than she thought it would be. Plus – if she was truly honest with herself – being with Shimon felt more natural than being without and she felt happy about the routine they'd developed over the last course of days. It almost felt – homey.

She was glad to have him there indeed.

There were of course moments in which she liked to be alone – for various reasons. Cleaning herself, washing off the sweat of work, was one of them. Although she felt like she would give everything she had for a hot, long and relaxing bath but that did not seem possible around here. Neither was there an opportunity nor time to bath.

After their discovery they had agreed not to leave each other sides for too long. There hadn't been any sign of somebody being here on the island with them but they had decided to be cautious nevertheless. So they took turns, giving each other some time.

Now that she thought about it, she should better return to their meeting point unless she wanted to have him look for her and find her half naked at the river bank.

Quickly she finished up, reorganized her yukata and retied her obi, before she squeezed the rag dry.

Following the path they had trampled into the woods by now, she hurried to cross the bushes and trees up to their meeting point. Only to find that Shimon wasn't there. Confused she huffed.

Weird. Where was he?

They had agreed to stay here not far from the lake but shielded from the trees in case of an emergency. So why wasn't Shimon here?

Mayura's eyes scanned the area but within the forest this part was one where the trees were very condensed and the undergrowth very high. Walking a few feet to get a better perspective, she noticed a brief but very close noise. She came to a stop and concentrated on her sense of hearing.

And there it was again. A slight rustle of the leaves.

It was gone in the blink of an eye and must have been the wind brushing the leaves. Yet it made her nervous. With no sign of Shimon she felt the cold shower of anxiety rush her skin .

Why would he leave their meeting point?

The rustle appeared again. This time it was louder. Closer. Then it stopped.

Mayura turned around towards the rough direction of the noise.

Was Shimon hiding in the undergrowth? She thought this to be hardly possible. What other reason would he have than to scare her? And he didn't seem to be the joking type at all – far from it. The only person she knew who would pull such a prank was Rokuro. And he had once done it and faced the consequences directly.

Mayura felt her anxiety rising by the next rustle. Not far from her the leaves of a bush quivered.

Her heart beat accelerated. Nervousness transformed into fear clenching on her lungs. Her sense of hearing sharpened. The sound next to her drowned out her own heartbeat and her short and skimpy breaths.

With a small voice she asked, "Shimon?"

The rustling stopped for a moment and then it started again. Furiously. The leaves quaked.

Mayura breathed out shakily. Then held her breath. She pressed her lips together, tightly. This wasn't Shimon.

Fear crawled over her skin like a spider.

Moments seemed to pass more slowly as the rustling continued. In her mind Mayura saw herself getting attacked by the person who had burned the bodies – after killing them. An evilly grinning black shadow consuming her.

The picture in her mind overlapped with what was happening in front of her when a shadow jumped out of the bushes with a high pitched screech.

Mayura screamed in terror.

* * *

Shimon pulled at the two ends of the weaved grass, binding a log to the raft he and Mayura had worked on the last few days. It was terribly small. These last few days they had made little progress.

However, they made progress and that was the important thing.

It hadn't been easy to find the right wood to use or to find out how to weave small ropes. Without Mayura's help he would have been very clueless on how to proceed at all. Though she had not left it at that. She had proven him wrong about his first impression of her. Seeing such a proud girl kneeling in the dirt next to him, weaving ropes until their backs hurt and their stomachs ached with hunger, was the least he would have expected. Yet, she had.

Thinking about it, she had surprised him a lot these last few days. Her knowledge, her ideals and the way she rose her head again again no matter how many times they had screwed up.

She was something else. So unlike the girls he had met so far. Of course it had been mostly servants of his house and the one at the tavern in Shiromi but all of them behaved in similar fashion. He couldn't place Mayura into the picture. He did wonder if all the girls in Narukami were like her. Feminine but determined, graceful but easy to smile, proud but kind and generally more knowledgeable. Was everyone educated in Narukami? Did they learn how to read and write like they learned how to make a fire? If they did, that was inspiring. How would the world look, if everyone was able to read? Would they listen less to the prophets screaming their wild theories feeding hate against Narukami on their self built platforms in the main street?

Seigen-dono had not told him such a thing. Shimon would have remembered. Especially since she talked a lot about Narukami, rising old memories in his heart and mind. She had wanted to learn more about Tsuchimikado and told him about her nation in return, unaware that he felt familiar with their customs due to Seigen-dono. More than once he'd needed to remind himself not to chip in and talk about what he knew about Narukami, when she had worn a soft smile and tender eyes looked back at him as she relived her memories.

It had felt wrong every time. He hated to be deceptive. Disguising his identity behind a cape was different to being dishonest in words. It was something he definitely hadn't planned to do when he had sneaked out of Tsuchimikado but then he had not expected to get into such a close contact with anybody either.

Releasing a sigh Shimon rose to his feet and examined the result of his work with conflicted emotions pulling at his guts and unfocused eyes fleeting from one knot to another. Why was he so worked up about this?

He had not lied.

He did not lie to her.

Suddenly he felt like he should return. She probably was almost finished with her washing routine. Maybe he shouldn't have even left. But the moment he had found a piece helping them on their mission to escape this island, he had not thought it would take him so long to attach one log.

Guilt pushed his legs and dragged his feet as he walked in long strides towards their meeting point, hoping against all chances that she wasn't waiting for him.

Yet, it wasn't the guilt about him leaving their meeting point that pushed his legs over the ground.

While he did not lie to her, he wasn't telling the truth either.

Just like the evening, when she had asked him if he was a warrior or if he had ever killed somebody from Narukami. He had not wanted to lie to her so he had pondered on what to say to keep his identity hidden.

In the end he hadn't lied. But he had mislead her, keeping the picture of a warrior upright and from that point onward he had continued to mislead her.

It was bothering him more than he liked to admit. Not only was it eating on him because of his sense of honor and righteousness. He knew as much. He had been sour before when Seigen-dono had made fun of his self-righteous ideas and it had taken him a while to recover but that hadn't been like this feeling. This bad consciousness clouding his mind. The reason was buried much deeper and he had yet to uncover it.

A noise pierced through the silence, making him stop. His head whipped upwards in the moment he heard her scream.

Gasping, Shimon started running towards the noise.

The direction, he recognized it, it was their meeting point.

His legs flew over the ground, ramming sticks and stones into the soles of his shoes. Giving his feet no time for the pain he broke through the green wilderness trying to hold him back.

Dammit. He would be damned if he would break the one promise he gave her. All because he hadn't waited as agreed.

Breaking through a line of bushes he finally glanced upon what was happening as Mayura's figure dressed in her dark blue yukata came into sight.

She was cowering against a tree and a large brownish beast on four legs sprinted towards her.

"Mayuraaa!"

The beast steps faltered at his yell. It turned around to him while he entered the scene with huffed breaths. It's snout was long, two big holes in what was a flat nose. Horns seemed to grow out of his mouth. It was huge.

Suddenly it leaped forward in high speed.

Shimon tried to roll out of the way, unable to stop his own run so abruptly. The beast hit his legs, throwing him backwards.

His body flew and spun before he crashed to the ground with his head colliding against something hard, making him bite his tongue.

His sight was blurred. A metallic taste filled his mouth. Trying to rise to his feet again he felt nauseous. A second later, his vision cleared. Too late.

The beast stomped its feet to the ground and advanced again.

In a swift and trained motion, Shimon pulled his sword. Just in time to block the horns and keep the beast from piercing him.

It pushed against his hold and he had to rise the second hand to the blunt edge of his sword to keep the beast at bay. He groaned against the exertion while the beast screeched and kicked its forelegs in midair.

A dull pain exploded in his stomach, sending needles of fire into his limbs. His breath left him and he skipped his eyes down. The beast had stomped its hoof into his stomach. Scooting to the side, he tried to save himself from another heavy blow.

Shimon grit his teeth. His arms quivered from the pain and the tension, slowly budging against the push of the monster towering over him. Damn.

He was sure he would loose this fight, when something caught his eye. Small stones hitting the beast's side and falling with clunks to the floor. The beast shook its body and eased off pushing.

Looking for the source of distraction, Shimon saw Mayura picking up another small stone and throwing it towards the thing. The beast did not budge though.

If he didn't get it off, Shimon knew, he was soon to be trampled or stabbed to death. And afterwards the thing would go for Mayura again. He needed to shake or push the thing off. The sooner the better. Shimon seethed in exertion and skipped another look at Mayura.

Then he noticed how she approached with a shaking dagger in her hand.

"Mayura, no," he uttered breathlessly.

Pulling his legs from beneath the wild monster, he stomped his feet against its bulky body and pushed as much as he could, heaving the thing off the ground. It worked. Its forelegs swirled in the air and it lost its balance falling to its side.

Quickly Shimon jumped to his feet. On shaky legs he stood in front on the beast and tried to straighten his posture to strike back. His sight wavered again. The world surrounding him fell into a screen of blurry shades. Sucking in brief and painful breaths, he recalled the last of his strength and blinked his eyes until his sight cleared.

The thing had regained its footing and was beginning to rise. Shimon did not plan to give it a chance. Pointing his blade towards his foe he jumped at the beast. As his blade sank into the flesh, he watched the beast's limbs twitch. It screeched again. This time it was more awfully, making his eardrums soar in stress.

Nevertheless Shimon stayed like this, his sword deeply buried into the beast while accumulating his breathing. When the last sign of life faded, he withdrew the Vermillion Sword. It was worthy of its name, fully covered by blood.

"Shimon! Are you hurt?"

He turned around to see Mayura dropping the dagger from quivering hands and running towards him.

Tired Shimon fell to his knees and let go of the bloody sword, which hit the ground with a clatter.

"I will survive. Just feeling a bit dizzy. Hit my head hard," he groaned when he shifted his weight to sit back on his heels and received stabs of sharp pain in return at the region of the spot the beast had stomped its feet into. He raised his eyes and met her worried ones, "What was that beast?"

"It's called 'boar'," Mayura explained after blinking. Her face dropped in sadness as a she looked at the dead animal. Shimon followed her gaze.

Boar? Shimon remembered having eaten meat of a boar once in a while. Dryly he achknowledged, "I knew how they taste, now I know that they are not to be angered."

A funny sound rose from her direction. He looked up at her blinking. She... giggled. Holding a hand to her mouth to muffle the noise, she laughed softly. Light danced in the sea of her eyes, transfixing him for a blink of an eye or two. Irritated he asked, "What?"

"The thing you said was actually funny," she replied smiling softly and he felt something stir in his stomach. This time it wasn't pain though.

"Oh," Shimon swallowed hard. He tore his gaze from her towards the dead animal and tried to change subject, "Anyway, why did it attack you?"

Her smile eased off a bit and he watched her chew on her lips in concentration, until they had a pinkish color. "They are very territorial creatures," she started saying, "Maybe it did not like my presence or maybe it did not like us eating all the mushrooms."

"A warning would have done it," Shimon huffed with a frown.

"Thank you, Shimon," she said in a soft voice,

"You're welcome," he replied. The boar could have killed him or Mayura. It was just by chance that Shimon was able turn the wheel of fortune into his direction. Yet, it might wouldn't have come to this, if he had not left Mayura alone. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when it attacked you."

"Don't be," Mayura shook her head and crossed her arms behind her back. "I am sorry I could not help when it was pressing you to the ground."

"If you'd approached with the dagger, it might have attacked and killed you," Shimon quickly replied.

She turned her face away. Confused Shimon leaned his head to the side. When he wanted to raise his voice again, her body slumped to the ground. Her arms supported her weight on her legs. Her eyes – they were filled with tears.

Surprised Shimon blinked until understanding dawned on him. Sympathy made the corner's of his lips curl into a scowl as he thought that this must be a form of stress release. She wasn't used to fighting or the sight of blood after all. Had her life been in danger ever before?

Next to him Mayura released a shaky breath. "The problem behind it all is that I-" she stopped and averted her eyes. Above a whisper, she mumbled, "I am weak."

His heart skipped a beat. She stole his breath with her unconcealed honesty. How could the person that was so proud and strong, hard headed even, transform into a girl with watery eyes sharing a secret with him a few days after she'd was so scared of him that she'd stolen his dagger? He reached out for her and laid a hand above hers. "If you want, I'll show you. I'll show you how to use a dagger and a sword."

She raised her big eyes at him. A red hue formed on her face. "What about the raft? We need all time we have to built it."

The corners of his mouth lifted. "It's fine. Besides we'll save time looking for food after we butcher this thing," he nodded towards the corpse of the boar.

When he looked at her again, he saw her staring at him with big eyes.

Feeling too self-conscious, Shimon cleared his throat and rose to his feet. Holding a hand out for her, he said, "Come. Let's go back to camp and prepare dinner. Afterwards I'll show you."

* * *

Next to her she heard Shimon groan, as he heaved the boar the last few feet to the fireplace. He had refused to let her help him when she offered to lend him a hand. When he hadn't given into her arguing, she had let him drag the huge animal on his own, declaring his stubbornness as male pride.

"It was heavier than I thought," he commented breathlessly.

Mayura looked at him worried. He appeared to be exhausted. A layer of sweat covered his forehead and his body shook with strong breaths. It was no wonder though. After his fight against the boar and him dragging the animal over the uneven ground of the forest and the sand, he was allowed to feel tired.

At least the boar would feed them for a few days. Looking at it Mayura became aware of a problem though. Tilting her head to the side, she said, "How are we going to grill it?"

Shimon blinked and then turned around and looked over to the raft, which they kept close to their firewood storage. "I have an idea."

It took Mayura a few moments to catch up but when she got what he was implying she exclaimed, "What about getting off the island?"

"We have more important priorities, remember?" Shimon looked at her with a stealthy gaze.

It was true. Surviving was their major priority. Yet, they could have continued to do it like they had by collecting mushrooms or catching fish. There would be no need to destroy the raft they had worked on so far. There wouldn't be any need, if he wouldn't be planning to train her.

Conflicted, she nodded. She wasn't sure, if this was a good idea. What difference would it make, if she knew how to swing a sword?

"Could you start a fire while I built something to put the beast on?" His voice startled her out of inner argument.

"Of course," she replied. Even if their routine would change from today, she wanted to be as useful as she could and so she quickly walked to their firewood storage.

It was a long time later, with her building a fire, him building a stand to hold the boar above the fireplace, which wouldn't crash under its weight and them washing off the sand of the animal's skin, when they finally sat down to eat, cutting of pieces of meat beneath the thick skin with the dagger. It was the best thing she had tasted since ending up here.

Mayura, sitting on her heels in the warmed up sand, leaned back with a sigh and looked up into the darkening sky. It had been another long day. One she might not have seen to its end, if it hadn't been for Shimon coming to her rescue.

She wished she could repay him for his kindness and for risking his life.

She skipped her eyes over to him. Legs crossed he sat next to her in reach to the boar slowly roasting above the fire. He wore rings beneath his eyes, obviously in need of sleep. It would help, if he would sleep in a bit tomorrow but it was unlikely of him to that; this was not the Shimon she had gotten to know a bit.

Yet, she had learned something new about him today: He cared. He cared about the life of others and jumped to their rescue. And the idea that he cared about her filled her stomach with warmth. She smiled softly while it rose up to her chest.

She knew she could trust him. Thinking about it, she already had. She wondered how easily and fast she had grown to trust him. It was the first time since their second day on this island that she thought about it and she was surprised to find out that she had trusted him for a while now.

Perhaps it was time to raise a topic they had circled around since they've met. Perhaps it was time to tell him the reason why she was here and ask him to help her to get to Tsuchimikado. Though it felt bitter now. While she had thought it to be a fair request because they could be useful to each other – after she had regained the ability to pay him – she felt like she used him. After all what he'd done for her, all the times he had jumped in to help her, when something was going wrong, after him looking out for her, after him risking his own life, it felt unfair to ask something like this from him.

Maybe she should leave the conversation by telling him why she was stranded on an island south of Crystal Island and in-between the two enemy states.

Mayura blinked her eyes when the sight of a slice of rosy meat offered to her came into her view.

With a smile she took the piece and chirped, "Thank you."

She took a bite and after swallowing it down she addressed him, "Shimon?"

"Hm?" His eyes met hers, widely opened in surprise, while biting into a slice of his own. It looked kind of – cute.

"Why are you here? I mean, where were you headed before you shipwrecked?"

The light of his eyes vanished and he narrowed his eyes before he grumbled, "Crystal Island."

Crystal Island? No wonder his mood shifted. It was the place were the war took form, endless battles, numerous losses. It was the home of bloodshed. Nobody would be happy to go there. Well, except for Rokuro who had always been adamant about becoming a soldier and ending the war.

"How did you end up here?" Shimon asked in return.

Taking a deep breath, she prepared herself to tell him the truth, which she ultimately did. "I was on my way to Tsuchimikado."

His eyebrows rose. "Why? Are you a smuggler?"

She shook her head while taking notice how his gaze was filled with interest rather than reproach. "No, I wanted to see the Lord of Tsuchimikado."

His chin dropped, his mouth slightly opened before he inquired, "You? You realize that the soldiers of Tsuchimikado would have killed you instantly, if they would have learned where you are from."

"You are a soldier and you did not kill me," she countered, feeling a bit more unsure about rising this topic.

"That's... different," Shimon said and averted his gaze, looking down on the cold slice of meat in his fingers. Hers had grown cold, too and she nagged on it despite the sudden nervousness tugging at her stomach.

"Anyway, what did you want from the Lord of Tsuchimikado?"

There was no need to hide the truth, was there? Shimon seemed to be surprised but not suspicious of her reasons to see the Lord of Tsuchimikado. If she held back the truth, he might think she had planned an assassination. She looked at him again and replied, "I wanted to persuade him to end war with Narukami."

He stared at her. Simply stared and said nothing.

Oh, no. Perhaps that had been too much. What had she done? Maybe it wasn't the best idea to tell a soldier she wanted to end the war. She should have gone with something different, a lighter version of the truth.

Suddenly she felt the need to explain herself and rambled, "It's been too long and it makes no sense. Both nations are divided by the sea and the Crystal rests in the middle. Why do we need to fight? Why do we need to pour blood?"

Not once had he blinked. Shimon was still staring at her.

Anxious about his reaction, she asked in small voice, "Do you think I am mad?"

That question finally shook him out of his stare for he blinked. "No, no, I don't. Actually, I have similar reasons to be here. I was on my way to Crystal Island to end the war."

Surprised she gasped. The last rest of her meat dropped out of her hand into the sand. This she hadn't seen coming. Couldn't have. Disbelievingly she uttered, "You were?"

"Yes," he nodded and looked at her openly.

The understanding of his meaning was slowly dripping into a sea of realization. Shimon had meant to end the war as well? In her mind resounded his words from the other day: _I hold no grudge against Narukami or its people. Far from it. It's more the other way around._ So all this time he had had a similar goal than her?

Who would have thought of this turn of events?

She couldn't help but smile at him. Not only did he not belittle her arguments but he shared her ambitions.

His response, a small smile, was even more rewarding and she thought that he should smile more often like this.

She thought about his statements, wanting to know even more about his path which had lead him here with her on the same island, with the same goal. "Why Crystal Island?" Her voice sounded lower and deeper to her own ears.

Turning his head away, Shimon looked at the flames. He looked to be deeply in thought.

Because he did not reply for a while, she was growing more and more nervous for his answer. After a while he said, "I am not a big talker. Not like my brother. He is the persuasive one of us," Shimon told her.

Mayura blinked in surprise at his response. What did his brother have to do with Crystal Island? Was he stationed there?

When she'd recovered from the surprise, she acknowledged, how it was the first time Shimon had told her something personal. With a little smile she hummed, "You have a brother?" Tilting her head she tried to imagine how this brother of Shimon might look. Would he have the same color of hair? The same color of eyes? Was he kind as well?

"Actually, I have a brother and a sister. He's the oldest and our sister is the youngest."

The way Shimon spoke of his siblings Mayura was reminded of her on family, her mother and her father and of course Rokuro. Fondly she thought about the brown haired boy, who, in her point of view, was part of her family as well. "Sounds nice. I have a very good friend who is like a brother to me but it must be nice to have two siblings."

"It is," he said softly as he stared off to nowhere.

There was so much warmth in his eyes that Mayura felt it affecting her and it was in that moment as she thought about talking something else that she noticed she missed the point of his answer and so she asked again, "How would you have stopped the war on Crystal Island?"

Shimon's gaze turned sharp again. Ice drove the warmth out of his eyes. "I wouldn't be able to stop the war by diplomacy. Neither do I think it will be the solution to this war. It wouldn't be enough. It's not enough for me. Therefore I was on my way to split the Crystal and fulfill the prophesy."

Now she understood what he'd meant by telling her about his brother. Yet, although she wanted to correct him about diplomacy being of use, the more curious she was about his plan. To fulfill the prophecy in which two stars fall from the sky and split the Crystal in two. Wait... He couldn't mean to - "Split the Crystal? Is that even possible?"

Shaking his head, he threw the rest of his cold meat into the fire. "I don't know. I hoped to find a way while I was there."

His idea seemed as insane as impossible. Leaning forward and stemming her hands onto her folded legs Mayura eagerly asked, "Don't you think if it was possible, people wouldn't have tried?"

Shimon crossed his arms and tilted his head down. "It's sacred. People wouldn't dare to touch it. Besides the Lord of Tsuchimikado might want peace, too. But it's not something you can just decide."

Mayura looked into the flames. She agreed on that. It wouldn't be easy to end the war and wouldn't be done in form of a simple decision. She had seen what the endless war did to people. They wouldn't change from one moment to next, not because of words.

Yet, for all their talk about convincing the Lord of Tsuchimikado, splitting the Crystal and ending the war, Shimon and her shouldn't forget their current situation. Their chances were pretty low on their own but everything seemed impossible as long as they stayed here. Frustrated she pressed the knuckles of her hands into her legs. "Right now, nothing of this matters. We're both trapped here. So it seems our plans were delusional in the first place."

Beside her she heard him shift as the leather of his armor groaned.

"We'll eventually get off the island and then I will help you meet the Lord," Shimon said with a strong voice.

The tension in her arms loosened. She turned towards him and saw his gaze being just as strong as his words were directed at her. The impact on her was odd. Her heart had skipped a beat. Wide eyed she stared at him and asked, "You would?"

"Yes," he nodded once and unfolded his arm before he continued, "but first I need to see the Crystal. Maybe you won't have a reason to talk to him, if I succeed."

"Then I will accompany you." The idea tumbled over her lips before she had thought about it. But it felt right. Together with Shimon she would find a way to procure peace. Perhaps it was a twist of fate that had brought them together.

"You will?" It was his time to look surprised as he blinked his eyes.

"I need to make sure I won't loose sight of my guide," she replied with a small smirk and quickly added, "Although I don't think that splitting the Crystal will work."

He rose an eyebrow and dryly replied, "I don't think that talking to the Lord of Tsuchimikado will help either."

She huffed at his retort. Strengthening her argument she told him, "My father always said, if all people would put their weapons down at once? What reason would be left to fight?"

"Sounds like someone I know," Shimon mumbled in thought.

It was the second time today Mayura remembered Jinya-sama's words of parting. He'd said, it wasn't the Crystal that made people hate each other. All of them, each and everyone, was a descendant of the Crystal's child. "Do you know the story about how men came to be?" She asked Shimon.

"I don't think so," he said with a frown.

This was to be expected for it was one of the less popular myths due to its message but during her studies she'd come across it. After folding her hands on her lap she recited the tale in her own words, "From the beginning of time a soul pulsated within the Crystal, which stood in the middle of a large land. Life flourished around it but the Crystal felt lonely and made a wish. One day a star fell from the sky. In the fading light of its mark the Crystal breathed life into the fallen star. Out of it a girl rose. Years later this girl bore two sons. Both of them were strong but greedy for their mother's attention. Jealousy turned into hate over the years. They fought and their fighting brought disharmony. Saddened about this the mother plead towards the Crystal to help her. In that moment the ground shook, breaking deep furrows into the earth, dividing the land into many small island and two bigger ones with the one of the Crystal being in the middle. Finally the brothers lived apart but their fight did not end and surpassed themselves, inherited to every next generation. All the while their mother wept. She wept until the end of her days, until her bones turned to dust and she will continue to cry until the brothers are reunited."

"Every time a storm rises, it's the Crystal's child weeping," Shimon said, "Now this saying makes more sense to me. But how will this help us?"

"It is the understanding that we still fight because of jealousy. If the brothers would just reach out for each other, there wouldn't have to be a reason to fight. We are all children of the Crystal."

He stared at her. Something glinted in his eyes before he murmured, "You're right."

Tearing her gaze away from the him, Mayura looked at the sky. She wasn't sure how to deal with the emotions darting through her. Was it excitement about having found a comrade in arms? She did not know. With a sigh she leaned back again and drank in the sight of the beautiful sky. The sun had sunk into the horizon, having dipped the sky into a deep orange that reflected in the sea. Enchanted by the magnificent view, she whispered, "The sky, it's beautiful. The color is so rich. It reminds me of a pumpkin."

"Looks more like a very ripe orange to me. What is a pumpkin?"

Orange? She had never seen one herself, only heard about their sweet taste. She hoped that one day, she would be able to try one.

"Something to eat. You should see Narukami. The fruits, the vegetables, the snowy mountains far from the Crystal's reach."

"Someday I will."

In comfortable silence they stared at the sky for a while and Mayura dreamed of the day she would visit Tsuchimikado and explore its nature with her own eyes.

Next to her she heard Shimon rise to his feet. When she looked into his direction she saw a hand reached out and eyes softly looking at her, "Come. Let us begin with your training."

Her eyes shone, reflecting the orange of the sky, colored in an unreal shade. Her skin bathed in a warm glow. Her hand fit right into his.

With a tug he pulled her to her legs and ignored the fuzzy feelings trembling in his stomach. Shimon walked over to the fireplace to put the stand with the boar a bit to the side so it won't get burned and he would have time to suppress whatever ill feeling was distracting him. He should concentrate on his mission – their mission.

Fate was a funny thing. Five days ago he had began a journey to split the Crystal and end this war raging between Tsuchimikado and Narukami and save his little sister. On the very next day this goal had been ripped out of his reach when he had shipwrecked on an isle south of the Crystal, stranded with a stranger, a girl from Narukami who had been odd to him from the first second. Now he had just recovered from the revelation that this girl had been on a journey as well and with the same goal.

Although he did not see eye to eye with her on the method, he felt relieved about this new twist. They could continue their journey together and Shimon felt new hope at their prospects. They would succeed, either way, he was sure of it. Though he would prefer his method. Not only would he save the life of Chiiko but it would keep Mayura from the danger of going to Tsuchimikado. She would be save at the side of the Prince but even one moment of carelessness could turn the tables on them.

Also, despite all her cleverness and knowledge, the idea to convince the Lord of Tsuchimikado seemed to be very naive. Shimon knew his father wouldn't be easily persuaded but he seriously wondered how Mayura was planning to accomplish that. She was smart and should know that a girl from Narukami without prestige or wealth would not be listened to. During their earlier conversation Shimon had asked himself, if he should tell her about the marriage which his father and Seigen-dono had arranged. It might have been enough for her to know that the lords of both nations planned to unite their countries. But it would have revealed his knowledge on a secret affair of state which a simple warrior wouldn't know about. He could not afford to reveal his identity to anyone, not yet.

Turning towards Mayura again, he saw her looking at him in irritation. A delicate eyebrow risen above her big, almond shaped eyes. He figured he must have been wrapped up in his thoughts too long.

Without taking his eyes of her, he grabbed his sword and pulled it out of the sheath. He held it out for her to take hold of the handle. The blade faced the ground between them.

"You are giving me your weapon?"

"If you learn at the beginning with something that isn't a katana, it might give you a wrong edge," he explained. A mere stick wouldn't do it and he hadn't a wooden bokken lying around here.

She took the sword and looked very uncomfortable in holding it as it dangled from her hand. "I mean, you trust me with the sword?"

That's true, why indeed did he trust her with the valuable sword of the Ikaruga family? This had to be the first time a person of Narukami held this sword in their hands. To him she wasn't a Narukami person though and they were partners now. He needed her to learn to defend herself should they get in contact with soldiers on Crystal Island.

"It's fine," he said while wondering when he had started to put such resolute trust in her? Had it been when she had shared her portion of their meal when his stomach had rumbled or when she refused to leave the exhausting work to him or was it built upon the times whenever he helped her rise to her feet as she had made the skin on his hand tingle? Had it been the moment she told him about her plans on ending the war? No, he wouldn't have jumped in to her rescue if he hadn't trusted her before.

"Shouldn't I learn to use the dagger first? This is the only sword we currently have," Mayura replied with a frown.

Shimon stemmed his hands into his hips and answered, "At first you need to overcome the fear to use a weapon. Holding something as powerful and deadly as this sword will help you with that."

He nodded towards the sword again.

Her frown dropped and was replaced by a mask of concentration as she shifted into an upright posture gripping the sword tightly in one hand.

This was better but not perfect. "That's not how you hold a sword. You are too stiff," Shimon told her.

Her shoulders dropped a bit but the form still looked unnatural and forced. She would not be able to move freely like this.

"Use both hands. The katana is meant to be lead by two hands. Your strong hand guides its way while the other stabilizes your hold," Shimon offered another suggestion.

Mayura enclosed her left hand around the handle of the sword and skipped her eyes to him. "Like this?"

"Yes. But your posture is still wrong. You need to be able to shift your weight on both legs."

She blinked at him in confusion and twirled her hips.

"No, they have to be further apart," he replied and bowed down. Without thinking he reached out for one of her legs to change its angle. It was just when her yukata loosened that he realized what he was doing. As if he touched fire, he jumped away.

What was he thinking?

"I'm sorry," he sputtered an apology with heat exploding in his face. He hadn't been thinking. That was his problem.

"No- No apology needed," she murmured with her face as red as a tomato.

Clearing his throat, Shimon wanted to cover up the awkwardness of the moment and picked up where they have left off. "Now," he said croaky. After he cleared his throat a second time he tried again, "Now you will be able to shift your weight easily between both legs, which makes it easy to evade and attack from all directions."

"Like this?"

He looked at her again. She now stood with her two feet diagonal to each other and he ignored how the yukata had loosened for it wasn't meant to fight in. He nodded. "Yes. Now strike as if you want to slice the air."

After rising the sword, she took a swing. The blade flew through the air.

* * *

Huffing in and out greedy breaths, Mayura flung the sword down again. They had been at it for quite some time.

"We should call it a day now," his voice became from behind her.

It had been grown dark, only the light from the fire and the moon above disturbed the darkness. Mayura did understand yet didn't want to stop. She felt the strain in her arms, hot sweat running down her temples but she knew she had more to give. "Just a few more moments," she breathed out.

"Mayura, stop," Shimon said and she felt a hand on her shoulder. "You must be exhausted, aren't you?"

She gazed at him over her shoulder. Shimon threw a look of worry at her; knitted eyebrows and the flames of the fire dancing in his eyes. Suddenly her arms felt more heavy and she dropped them straight towards the ground. "You're right," she said.

After handing him the katana she stretched her arms and hissed at the following ache. All in all Mayura felt soar but satisfied. It had been the first time she had held a weapon and even if Shimon had been strict while instructing her, he had complimented her quick way of learning. Though she would need a few more lessons, she felt relieved about carrying the dagger. Now she would now how to use it, if she needed it. It was all thanks to Shimon who had been so kind to show her, although he had been very devoted on getting off the island.

Beneath a star-filled sky they prepared themselves to sleep and Mayura felt the need to hear his voice once again while cuddling into her cape, desperate to make today's accomplishments to stay real. "Shimon?"

"Yes?"

She didn't know what she had wanted to talk about so she asked the first thing that came to her mind, "The legend... Do you believe it's true?"

"I do hope so," he answered lowly, a deep meaning seemed to be buried behind those words.

"Me, too," she mumbled and closed her eyes while smiling. Slowly her mind drifted off, past the differences between Narukami and Tsuchimikado, past boars attacking her out of nowhere, past their plans for the future, past the sting in her arms. She was ready to fall asleep at the warming and soothing fire, when his voice rouse her from her dozing state.

"Mayura?"

"Hn?" She turned her head towards him. He was still sitting in an upright position and wore a funny expression, something between a frown and a disgusted scowl, that made her curious.

Lifting a finger he pointed at something across from where she lay and asked, "Can we eat that, too?"

She followed the line of his finger and spotted in the dark, blueish shades of the beach an odd looking creature. On the first sight it looked like a huge insect because of its many skinny legs. On the second sight, Mayura was able to see that it moved sideways through the shadows and had big, round arms. It was some creature from the sea, of which she could not remember the name. Eating that weird looking thing was surely possible; she wasn't sure, if she wanted to though. Why would Shimon want to eat that? She seriously hoped the boar would feed them until they found a way to leave the island. Reluctantly she answered, "I-I think so~."

* * *

 _A/N: T_ _he scene with the crab was inspired by a prompt of FieryPrincess2063 on for this fiction._

 _Moreover I have to apologize in advance. The next update might take just as long as this one, if not more. Thanks to the new collaboration two people are now working on this fiction, which means more processes are involved. AND I actually passed the first round of the Open Novella Contest with "Branches" so I have to write another 6k for that till the 19th and afterwards I need to work on the Secret Santa Sousei no Onmyouji gift... *blinks* Oh my god... At least there is a lot of shimayu to look forward to, right? *giggles maddly*_


	10. 9

A/N: First of all, thank you for your reviews and follows. Second of all, I am sorry for the long hiatus. I did not manage to work on this fic during the Open Novella Contest. BUT I am proud to say it paid off: "Branches - Two Fates. One Tale" actually is a finalist for the Grand Prize of the contest! Whoop, whoop!^^

What else is new? I posted a tribute for Mayura's birthday playing in the context of this very fic. So if you want to learn more about this world, you should check out "About Crystals and Stars - One-shots".

Okay, now I leave you to have, hopefully, fun reading! ;)

 **9**

Furiously, her chest heaved up and down in a helpless attempt to fill her lungs with air. Her body swayed to the side. Mayura tried to keep her focus on his movements. Her hands, slick with sweat, were grabbing tightly onto the solid handle between her fingers.

If he'd thrust back now, she would fall. And so she advanced again, pushing her body into his direction.

She rose the sword and swung it towards Shimon.

He blocked the blow. The blade carved into the branch he held.

She wanted to withdraw but the sword stuck in the wood did not give in immediately and so she stumbled, when she finally retrieved the weapon.

'Game over,' she thought while stumbling backwards, knowing exactly what would happen. In the very same moment she saw Shimon twisting the branch to the side and hitting the sword above its hilt.

With a clatter the sword fell to the ground, twisted out of her grip. Mayura fell back on her buttocks with a yelp.

"You've improved," Shimon commented as if he had not just knocked her off her feet with something simple as a branch.

Mayura mustered him from head to toe. While her own stamina was drained and she was on her last legs, he had not even broken out in sweat. She huffed bitterly, "It's not a real improvement, considering I advanced from zero to... something."

"Don't stress yourself out. Swordsmanship isn't learned in a few days and I am years ahead of you. All you need to have is the resolve to push yourself," Shimon bowed down to retrieve the sword lying on the ground. "However, if you don't, you will fail."

The metal hissed and clicked as he sheathed the sword upon his grave words. He always was very serious, wasn't he?

Interested she raised her eyebrows and inquired, "How many years did you learn?"

"I've started since I was a small boy but with twelve I had found a master." A small smile adorned the corners of his lips. He must have been quite taken with his master. Although that was understandable. The way Shimon fought was enough proof of an effective training.

"Your moves are pretty impressive," she said while massaging a sore spot on her arm. Being a princess, she'd never had to lift a finger to get something. These last days of physical work were taking a toll on her muscles. Constantly something ached, whether it was her arms, her legs or her back.

Shimon stretched his hand out for her. "I am sure you will be able to move more swiftly in no time."

"Thanks," she said while helping him to pull her body to her feet. She was not so sure about herself but was glad to accept his reassuring words.

He grabbed the bamboo pipe they used for water and looked at it with a frown. "Seems like I have to go fetch some water. Wait here. I'll be quick."

Mayura nodded at him and saw his retrieving figure disappear into the woods.

Resolve, huh?

They had been training for days and still she felt only small improvement. It was hard to keep up resolve when having to face more failures than gains.

Rising her hands, she looked at them. They hurt, her skin itched where it had been rubbed from the hilt's leather. Those weren't the hands of a Princess anymore. They were still as vulnerable and soft but they weren't pure and stainless anymore. If she wanted to get stronger, she needed to steal herself.

The world was at a constant battle of power. They say the most powerful weapon is the word. Yet, it wasn't as immediate and it wouldn't help her to survive facing direct danger. There weren't many other powerful thing as the sharpness of a blade or the force of an order. Well, except for the one power that was the most important but sensed by so few people, the Crystal's power.

If only she could control the Crystal's powers like Jinya-sama.

Jinya... He had told her how to channel those powers, how to gain control of them. How to absorb them from the nature surrounding her.

These hands, could she do more with them than hold a sword?

She sat down on her heels and folded her hands in her lap. Recalling how the priestess from Narukami had meditated to get a grip on the powers enveloping each and every living thing.

Mayura closed her eyes and snorted before refilling her lungs again with a deep breath. Slowly she found a rhythm deeply in and out. She began to relax while repeating the process a few times, trying to clear her mind.

The Crystal gave and it took.

The Crystal was generous and severe.

The Crystal was divine and worldly.

The Crystal was light and dark.

It was inside and outside.

One was two and two was one.

Banishing everything from her mind and concentrating on the Crystal Mayura's mind left her body, freed from the grasp of space and time and dwelling in the dark and unknown. On the next breath something from afar turned towards her. In the darkness there was a light. It turned to light a path. It was warm. She felt safe and secure close to the light.

Home.

It felt like home.

She reached out a hand. When she touched it, it enveloped her being. Like a mother's embrace it cocooned her.

From afar and from nearby a voice said, "Bring my children back to me."

Unconsciously she nodded and tried to channel what was given to her.

* * *

The water swept in waves against the walls of the pipes as it moved in response to Shimon's steps, making a swishing sound.

Based on the position of the sun it was still early. If Mayura was up to it, they could put in another hour of training before working on the raft.

She had quite a lot to learn and more than her unpolished skills she lacked stamina and physical strength. Nonetheless, Shimon was sure she could, at least, defend herself. Her determination and quick level of learning came to an advantage for learning the swordsmanship.

Pushing away the small branches reaching into the path, he revealed the sight of the meadow they had chosen for their training. It was close enough to the stream and the beach but thanks to the even ground less tiring.

His eyes immediately stuck to her form as if she'd called him.

Mayura sat on the grass, not moving from what he could see. He wondered, if she meditated or something. Coming closer he circled her and he almost dropped the water when he saw a white light glimmer between her hands.

Holy –! The Crystal's powers!

Ripping his eyes from the pure and bright light, he scooted them to her face. The brightest smile he'd ever seen adored it as she looked down to the power she held between her hands. Reflections of the light danced in her blue eyes like fairy spirits of a summer night's dream. A red hue covered her cheeks.

She was utterly beautiful.

His breath hitched. A funny feeling bloomed in his chest as his heart seemed to collapse and explode at the same time. Irritated he rubbed the cloth above the spot.

Suddenly her eyes darted to him and she yelped. The light vanished and she rose a fist to her chest now, too. "Shimon! You've scared me."

He broke out of his stupor, sucking in a deep breath. There were more important matters at hand than her lovely sight. Though he still not understood what had just taken play in front of his eyes. Confused he mumbled, "The Crystal's powers, you control them?"

"Oh, you know what they are," she chirped and her eyes danced.

He nodded, "A monk used them to save my sister's life once. The light he extracted from her body, it looked the same."

Smiling brightly she told him, "It was a monk who told me how to control them. I had not believed I would be able to do it on the first try but –" She broke of and giggled, euphoric and high-spirited.

Caught between amazement and disbelief he stared at her. Was she serious?

"Could you hand me the pipe? I feel like dying from thirst."

Wordlessly he handed her the pipe and watched her drink with deep gulps, leaning back her head and drinking until the pipe was empty.

She huffed and giggled again. "Oh, I emptied it. I'll go refill it. I would like to wash off a bit before going to a second round of training. Just wait here." Jumping to her feet she turned on her heels and walked towards the spot, he had come from only a few moments ago almost as if she danced.

"Mayura –"

She left him behind, dumbfounded and thunderstruck.

Shimon puffed a breath when he did not see her retrieving figure anymore.

What had just happened?

His mind was roiling.

Seriously, she left him speechless in many ways. He had never seen her being like this, this cheerful. And the powers. How had she gained them?

First try, she had said. But how was that possible? Monks and priests, from what he knew, they spend years and years of training until they are able to shape the Crystal's powers according to their will. And then she had been hyped and enthusiastic. He could not tell if this was a side effect from controlling the Crystal or if she had been like this because of her accomplishments. Whatever it was, to Shimon it had been – alluring?

Rising a hand, he lowered his forehead to the palm and rubbed the furrow between his knitted eyebrows.

Whatever had transpired right now, Mayura being able to control the Crystal's power might work in their favor. Though he had no idea how. Truth be told only those who were in control of the Crystal's power knew what they could achieve with it. The brotherhood was very silent about it. Priests swore an oath to keep the Crystal's powers protected. Only the chosen ones were allowed let in on the secret.

Who had chosen Mayura? Was she a novice? Had she concealed this little fact?

Annoyed Shimon clicked his tongue. Too many questions worked to mislead from the truth. He wouldn't find an answer like this and maybe it was not that important as he currently made it to be, being untypically agitated.

Releasing a sigh he let the topic go. Perhaps she would tell him about it herself after she returned.

Titling his head up again, he looked around. Never would he have thought that he would feel tired of the sight of green. Although the woods were fairly different then the gardens at home. They were uncontrolled, wild and untrimmed . He preferred things with composure and reserve.

He noticed it then.

He noticed the blurred edges of the trunks, ruffled colors of the leaves. Walking closer to the trees he concentrated on the shapes and truly they sharpened the closer he got. Were his eyes deceiving him? Had he just been imagining things?

Squeezing them shut, he traced his eyelashes with a thumb and forefinger. Upon blinking them open again, he guessed it was fine now. These thoughts were forgotten, however, when a movement in the woods caught his eyes. A human shape walked towards the meadow. Quickly Shimon hid himself behind a trunk, hoping the person had not seen him yet.

This couldn't be Mayura. The lake was in the opposite direction.

Was this the monster who'd burned and buried the bodies?

Shimon held his breath. He focused on the sound of rustling leaves. The person was seemingly unconcerned about producing noises. It was fairly likely he had not seen Shimon yet.

The rustling becoming louder . The person got closer.

With his back pressed against the trunk Shimon waited for the person to exit the shades of the forest while pulling the Vermilion sword out of its sheath as quietly as possible. Its blood red guard glinted with the fire of the sun, ready to shed more blood.

The rustling became deafening. His heart thundered in anticipation.

Then the noise stopped altogether.

Damn. Had the person seen him?

Leaning forward to look around the trunk of the tree, Shimon stared into widened, red and blinking eyes, framed with brown hair.

He acted quick. Dashing behind the boy, he grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back in one move. The boy could not do much but yelp before Shimon pressed the blade of his katana against the intruder's throat. From what Shimon could see, the boy wore the a blue armor, the uniform of Narukami's warriors.

"Woah! Hey buddy, unhand me!" The Narukami warrior yelled. Not only did he look young, he sounded young.

Yet, Shimon did not give in and tightened his grip on the twisted arm of the boy, who yelped in pain. "So have a chance to attack me? I don't think so," Shimon replied darkly. "Who are you?"

"That's none of your business. Let me go!" When the boy moved his arm against the restraint, Shimon pulled his arm down, making every movement for the guy painful.

"Tell me who you are," Shimon warned him again.

"HEEEELP!" The boy screamed as loud as an alarm bell, making Shimon's ears ring. What was wrong with this guy?

As if she'd answered the cry for help, Mayura came running into the meadow from the other side of the forest. Her eyes grew big as she looked at the boy and him.

Shimon meant to tell her to stay away, when she suddenly exclaimed, "Rokuro?!" Shimon blinked in surprise as he listened to her adding, "Rokuro! Is that you? What are you doing here?"

Mayura knew this guy?

"Almost being killed by this knucklehead," the boy replied. In response to the insult Shimon twisted the arm even more, gaining a groan in reward. How dare this boy insult him?

"Shimon, let him go," Shimon raised his eyes towards her again. Mayura, turned towards him now, looked at him with soft and pleading eyes.

Succumbing to her request, Shimon sighed deeply and let the boy loose – reluctantly nonetheless. He still needed to make sense out of this situation. Who was this twerp and how did Mayura know him?

Said brown-haired jumped away from him and reached a hand for his arm wearing a comical facial expression as if he was gagging. He then looked towards Mayura and grinned at her broadly, displaying two rows of ridiculously sharp and pointed teeth. His hair fell around his head disordered and boisterous.

The boy was like the woods. Uncontrolled, wild and untrimmed. Shimon did not like him.

How was this boy related to Mayura?

In question Shimon's eyes darted over to the blonde. Shocked he noticed Mayura looking at the boy with a fond expression. Her lips tremble and tears appear in the corner of her eyes.

They stared at each other – the boy grinning and Mayura smiling brokenly – and Shimon found himself to be the intruder of a private scene now.

Then Mayura sobbed and ran to the boy standing in front of Shimon and throwing herself into his arms.

Something hit Shimon hard in the chest at once. He felt like he could breathe no more. As if something heavy was standing on his chest. He did not understand the world at all.

He couldn't do anything except watching them embrace and converse with one another.

"Thank the Crystal! It's so good to see you, Rokuro. But why are you here?"

Finally she released the twerp and they stopped hugging.

"Your old man sent me after you. And since I am the only one who knew where you were going, I stole myself away." The boy grinned, proudly pointing a thumb at himself.

Mayura still smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes before she tilted her head to the side. "And how did you come to this island? How did you know I would be here?"

Shimon blinked in confusion. Her father had sent the boy. But what for? Was her fiance or something?

"I didn't. I was so hungry, that I wanted to make pause on this isle." Rubbing the back of his head, the guy named Rokuro grinned again. To proof his point there was loud stomach rumble, resembling the croak of the hopping creatures near by the lake, which Mayura had called frogs someday.

"Then we should make a fire and give you something to eat. Come," she said and turned on her heels heading back towards the beach.

Shimon let the boy walk in front of him. He preferred to have his eyes on him, then let him walk in his back.

Suddenly Mayura threw an apologetic gaze at him over her shoulder. "Shimon, can you leave us alone a while to talk?"

She continued to walk the path with the twerp on her tolls, leaving Shimon speechless behind for the second time today.

Today was the weirdest of all days.

* * *

"Look at you wearing our uniform like you've always wanted!" Proudly she smiled at Rokuro while she led them towards the beach. She could not believe it. Her best friend was here! From all the things that could have happened, she'd never expected that. Rather she'd expected to starve to death on this island, to sail with Shimon to Crystal Island on a raft or to get caught by her soldiers and be dragged home.

It sure was surprising! Today had been full of surprises! Her heart fluttered cheerfully as she was still hyped from all this energy circulating within her system after controlling the Crystal's powers. Yet another thing she had not been able to believe at first. She had controlled the Crystal's powers!

"Awesome, right?" Twinkling eyes Rokuro grinned at her with a pure blush. "By the way Mayura, what happened to your clothes?" He pointed at the hem of her yukata suffering from a few tears and the stains she wasn't able to wash out without any soap.

Amused she giggled. "I guess they aren't made to live in the wildness."

Rokuro then looked over his shoulder and took two quick steps to be only a feet away. He shielded his mouth in a conspiratorial way. "And that soldier. Has he done anything to you?"

"No, he's my – I mean we're – We're –" she stuttered while tilting her head down and watching her feet carry her.

What were they? After a few days she felt that they were close to friends. But that felt not quite right.

Behind her Rokuro hummed pensively.

Quickly she blurted out, "We're companions."

She sighed.

This was not the truth either.

"Are you sure you're alright? You are red in the face. You can tell me if he touched you or did something else," Rokuro said, leaning closer to her, scrutinizing her face with his unique red eyes.

Heat exploded on her cheeks upon the idea of Shimon touching her. Damn that Rokuro for suggesting such a thing. Except of taking her hand a numerous times, Shimon had never touched her. Actually, he had been very courteous, now that she thought about it. She never got the notion of him insinuating something vulgar or making unwanted advances. Despite his first strip in front of her, there was never a situation he made her uncomfortable.

Anyway, Shimon touching or not touching her was not the reason why she had wanted to talk Rokuro alone. "No, he did not," she uttered decisively. "Also he does not know I am Narukami's princess. This must stay between us, okay?"

Once anew Rokuro hummed while they crossed the edge of the forest and stepped into the sand warmed by the sun.

At the fireplace she motioned for him to sit down and followed suit. The boar was still hanging on the stand, a great portion was consumed already and the rest of it was blackened on the outside and dry on the inside due to the fire of heating and the sun glaring down on it all day.

It filled their bellies. That was the most important thing. Before she could pick up the flint stones, Rokuro restarted their discussion, "What are you doing here with him anyway?"

She smiled at the question. Funny how everything played out in the end. Days ago she had berated herself on killing a stranger from Tsuchimikado. Now she was grateful for having met Shimon. Calmly her gaze rested on her folded hands in her lap as she recalled all the events of the last days. "We've both stranded here by chance. Shimon shipwrecked and I was abandoned here by sailors on my way to Tsuchimikado. So we helped each other out. Actually we share the same aim. He wants to end the war, too. I planned to go to Crystal Island with him."

However, the happiness fluttering in her stomach did not reach Rokuro for when she raised her gaze he stared at her wide eyed and tensed up.

"Mayura, do you know what you're saying? This sounds too good to be true. He is a soldier from Tsuchimikado after all."

"I did not ask for you to understand but to keep my identity hidden," she shot back, sharper than she'd intended..

He sighed, looking awfully morose. "I hope you're doing the right thing."

"Me, too," she sighed relieved about her friend trusting her decisions after all. There was only one more request she wished for him to fulfill. "That's why I also ask you not to bring me back to my father. This is something I need to do."

His face broke into a big grin. "Nah, I won't. I am coming with you of course."

Mayura blinked at him. "You are?"

He leaned back, folding his arms. His grin never left his face. "Sure, I already planned to do it. The old geezer wouldn't believe me finding you anyway."

She huffed a little laugh. Her father and Rokuro always acted like they hated each other but everyone around them knew they both held a lot of respect for the other. Yet, Mayura had to admit her father had treated Rokuro very different compared to her, even shortly after he had brought him to their home. She'd always wondered if it was because Rokuro was a male or adopted that her Otosama behaved so differently.

It did not matter now, though. Perhaps it was a good thing, Rokuro held a rebellious nerve against her father this time.

"Thank you, Rokuro."

He snickered once before his grin left his face again. "So the soldier... Do you think you can trust him?"

"I don't. I just do." She smiled thinking about Shimon. "I trust him."

The sound of a twig breaking, startled her. She snapped her head towards the direction. Shimon stood there covered in the shadows of the undergrowth, the red colors of his armor having lost their biting glow upon the shades. His eyes, though, seemed to shine as they connected with hers.

Wonder met surprise.

Her mouth slightly opened. Agape her gaze stayed glued to his.

Rokuro said something but her heart had deafened the world around them as her eyes were fixed on Shimon's. There was a deep warmth in the ice blue.

Slowly it dawned to her what she'd said.

Once again her face heated up. Flustered she tore her gaze off of him and caught a breath.

Bad timing for him to walk into this sort of confession. Not that it was _that_ sort of confession.

Dear Crystal, help her! She wanted to bury her face into her hands or in the ground. Somewhere where she wouldn't feel his eyes on her.

She gulped down her nervousness which settled uncomfortably in her stomach when he started talking, "My apologies, I did not mean to walk into... you're conversation... I did not know how long I was supposed to wait and so..."

"It's fine," she replied with haste while turning farther away and tilting her head so he would not see her blush.

"Oi Mayura, did you not want to make a fire?" Rokuro asked. His stomach rumbled again.

"Yes," she said quickly and grateful for the distraction. She turned to the fireplace, only to see that of course she had not thought about bringing firewood. It was Shimon's chore.

Like an answer of a prayer it began to rain twigs and branches onto the fireplace in front of her eyes.

"I thought you might need it," Shimon murmured.

Surprised she lifted her eyes to his profile of him. He had his eyes shut in a frown, a small tint of red covered his cheeks.

She must have embarrassed him. She knew for certain, she'd embarrassed herself.

She nodded even though he had his eyes closed and watched him walk a few feet away and sitting down with his back turned towards the fire, Rokuro and her. Was he – sulking?

Releasing a deep breath, she chose to bite down this awkward situation and finally started to make a fire. She picked up the flints again and knocked them together to emit sparks and send them flying down to the wood.

After a while the sparks ignited little flames. Rokuro cheered, "Ohh, Mayura. You're so amazing! Since when do you know how to make fire?"

Again she blushed but this time it was not as deep and disturbing. "I had to learn it." Leaning her head to the side she looked at him. There was no way Rokuro would have been able to lit a fire himself. "What did you plan to eat on this island?"

He chuckled awkwardly. "No idea. But I did not come for food only. To be honest I sort of lost orientation and wanted to watch the course of the sun."

From his position Shimon scoffed, "And you call yourself a warrior."

"I don't. I am a soldier," Rokuro snapped back.

"It doesn't matter. You got lost regardless."

Surprised she looked at Shimon. What was wrong with him? Why was he acting so hostile towards Rokuro? Wasn't he as neutral about Narukami people as he had claimed to be?

"At least I did not shipwreck," Rokuro mumbled and folded his arms.

Mayura sighed. Seriously what was wrong with both of them? She was used to Rokuro's foolish streak, that was sometimes cute but more often annoying at times. She had not thought Shimon could be easily riled up like this as well. She turned around to face them fully and told them, "Cut it out you two. Shimon, Rokuro is accompanying us. He is my best friend and I hope you two get along. Rokuro, I owe Shimon. He was a big help and saved my life. Please be kind."

"He's the one who started insulting me," her friend said pouting.

She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Okay," he grumbled.

She then skipped her eyes over to Shimon who sighed, "Fine."

"Good. More importantly, Rokuro," she addressed her best friend urgently, having caught up on a crucial detail. "You've said you didn't shipwreck. Does this mean you have a boat?"

"Of course," he shrugged. "How else would I be here?"

Mayura huffed in relief and tilted her head towards Shimon's direction who already smiled at her over his shoulder.

Like fools they smiled at each other.

They were able to leave this isle now and for good!

"Why are you both smiling like this?" Rokuro interrupted the momentum.

Shifting on her knees towards him, she reached out for his hands and shook them. "Rokuro, you've saved us. With your boat we'll make it to Crystal Island."

He rose an eyebrow. "Crystal Island? I thought you wanted to go to Tsuchimikado."

"I did but we agreed to help each other." She nodded towards Shimon who had turned into their direction.

"Well now you have me. We can drop him off on Crystal Island and then head towards Tsuchimikado," Rokuro replied.

"Sounds reasonable," Shimon said, agreeing with Rokuro to her surprise.

"But Shimon..." She dropped Rokuro's hands and faced Shimon fully. Words failed her. Hesitant she rose a fist to her chest.

"We don't have to stick together anymore. You can follow your plan and I will follow mine," he continued with the dry way of his.

Why was it so easy for him to say this? It was logical but...

She could not release him yet. Even if it was egoistic, even if she was acting upon selfish reasons, even if she'd just postponed the inevitable she could not watch him leave yet.

If she'd ever lost sight of him, she would never see him again. The princess of Narukami would never see a soldier from Tsuchimikado. Only as long as that identity stayed hidden she could travel with him.

Rising her eyes again to his she told him, "We've decided to travel together and that's what we'll do. I'll leave nobody behind."

His eyes searched hers. Her heart picked up its pace under his mustering gaze. After what felt like forever, he nodded.

* * *

'Finally!' Shimon thought.

Finally he would reach Crystal Island on which camps of both kingdoms resided, fighting for the sole rule over the isle and the Crystal.

At last he'd reach the end of his quest. He would split the Crystal, end this war and save Chiiko's life.

Finally things were working according to plan.

He didn't even mind the nausea stirring in his stomach as he rowed the boat over the sea. Mayura and the twerp had been both suspicious of him as he insisted on rowing the boat himself but luckily they had stopped prying. It would have been humiliating to admit that he'd feel miserable on a moving object and would be stuck to the railing.

Shimon glanced at them, sitting opposite of him and chatting the travel away.

Her best friend, she had said earlier. While they ate leathery chunks of boar meat he'd figured that perhaps the twerp was the very good friend she had mentioned the evening when they had both confessed their similar goals of their respective journeys. The very good friend who was like a brother to her.

Unless she had more than one male friend...

He had no idea why this was bothering him so much. Yet it did.

Annoyed at himself he clicked his tongue and squeezed his eyes close for a moment, trying to force down the negative sentiment. His spirits had been uplifted since they had finally escaped the vacant isle thanks to the boat. Now they were starting to get ruined because of something Shimon did not understand.

He should be grateful for Rokuro's appearance no matter how unnerving the twerp was. If it hadn't been for him and his boat, Shimon and Mayura would still be stuck on the other isle, trying to craft a raft. If there was one thing he regretted, it was that he could not train Mayura swordsmanship anymore.

When he opened his eyes, he saw her looking at him worried, sending his innards on a somersault.

What was wrong with him? This was not because of his motion sickness.

Somehow she had gained power over him within the few days they'd spent together. He had no idea how but her sea blue eyes could ignite emotions coursing through him, he had never felt before. Barely the idea of saying goodbye to her had pressed his chest in a heavy clutch earlier.

The twerps suggestion had been logical. There was no need to travel together anymore. They did not owe each other. They had not sworn to stick together and he had trained her in swordsmanship like he'd said he would and protected her during their stay on the isle like he had promised. Yet, as he had agreed to the reasonable plan of the twerp a sour taste remained in his mouth.

And then had she said something he had not trusted himself to say, almost demanding them to stay together and he had not been able to deny this idea.

Maybe she was more courageous than him.

Like she was now looking at him with uncovered worry as if she'd sensed his discomfort.

He turned away, stirring his sight towards their destination.

Cliffs towered over the sea on the southern side. It was the perfect spot to avoid warriors spotting them from afar. A secure place shielded from both sides and perfect to tie the boat up at.

Which they did after they finally crossed the narrow sea between the islands.

Ironically it was thanks to two people from Narukami that allowed him, the Prince of Tsuchimikado, for the first time to set a foot on Crystal Island. Maybe it was a sign that people from Narukami and Tsuchimikado could reach high goals, if they worked together.

Breathing in the smell of the salted sea, he felt like he had been here before. Stories and reports about the Island, about the battles and the war had taken his mind often to the island lying in-between both nations. Yet, it felt different as his shoes crunched on the ground of the tiny sand bank in front of the cliff.

Motioning Mayura and her best friend to follow him, he took a path leading away from the steed cliffs slowly rising towards the top.

When they reached the peak he looked over the top. A large grove lay in front of them. Behind it were woods and behind them lay the mountain in which the Crystal rested. Back at home he heard stories how the Crystal had been covered with rock by time, making it the heart of the mountain on Crystal Islands. His father had loved to tell stories like this after dinner.

"I don't see anyone fighting," the twerp said all of a sudden from behind him, "Where are the people?"

Shimon released a heated breath. "Are you a moron? Of course they don't fight everyday. It's a positional war. Neither side wants to leave the Crystal to the hand of the other but if they fought everyday, there wouldn't be enough warriors left to fight in no time. Both sides are more afraid about being unable to fight. You should know that as a 'soldier'," he accentuated the foreign world.

"Of course I did know that," Rokuro mumbled and began whistling.

Shimon blinked wondering why the boy asked such stupid questions, if he knew the answer. He shook his head and let his gaze swipe over the area again, looking for any sign of danger.

When he was satisfied, he formulated the plan he had disguised and changed since the moment he'd left the city of Tsuchimikado behind, "Based on our position, the camp of Tsuchimikado should be in this direction," he pointed towards north-west, "and the camp of Narukami into this direction." He pointed roughly towards east. "If we head straight north, we can reach the Crystal unnoticed. However, we should wait until the sun lowered."

"What are you planning to do at the Crystal anyway?" The twerp asked.

"Split it," Shimon replied.

"HEEEHH?!"

Shimon whipped around upon the thunderous yell. His first instinct was to push Rokuro away. Fortunately he could stop himself before sending the other guy into a certain death down the cliffs.

Shock raged through Shimon making his heart knock violently against his ribcage. The resonance of the Crystal was strong.

"Sshhhh, Rokuro, somebody might hear you," Mayura hushed, shivering.

"You plan to split the Crystal?" The twerp stared at him wide eyed before his head jerked towards Mayura. "And you support this?"

Shimon and Mayura looked at each other and she nodded.

"Mayura, do you believe it is possible?"

Using the opportunity Shimon let his gaze run over the ground again. There was no sign of anything having been alarmed by the other boy's yell.

From behind him he heard Mayura sigh. He believed she would again say how she did not believe splitting the Crystal to be the solution. She surprised him though. "All I know is that it is not impossible. The prophesy says the Crystal will be split in two halves."

"By a star! Neither of you looks like a star!" The red eyes boy argued.

'Obviously,' Shimon thought bitterly.

Suddenly a soft thud sounded from the right. Shimon swiped around in time to see a blade pointed at Rokuro's throat seemingly out of nowhere. Black hair blazing with violet specks swirled around his form.

Next to him Mayura gasped, and jumped back upon seeing the long haired figure of the Commander of Tsuchimikado.

* * *

A/N: I might have gotten a bit more prone to use cliff hangers thanks to "Branches". ':D


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